Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah says the Government of Ghana fully supports calls for greater African unity and the creation of a continental single market through visa-free movement.
Speaking at the departure event of the Trans-African Tourism and Unity Campaign at Black Star Square in Accra, Mr. Debrah described the initiative as “commendable,” noting that it would strengthen Africa’s position in the global economy.
“With the introduction of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whatever we need to do to draw the attention of Africans to come together as one people and become a bigger, larger market is something commendable,” he said. “As a government, we naturally support the idea of drawing the attention of the entire world to African unity and possibly achieving visa-free movement for all of us,” he added.
Safety concerns during cross-border
Mr. Debrah also stressed the importance of safety during the road trip. Drawing from his own experience as a former tour operator, he advised the team not to drive at night.
“I used to drive from Ghana to Burkina Faso, Mali, and even Senegal. But this came with some risks. I urge you to be very security conscious. These days, the world has changed, and you must pay close attention to security requirements and checkpoints,” he cautioned.
Tourism potential of a borderless Africa
The Chief of Staff revealed that tourism contributes over US$190 billion annually to Africa’s GDP, yet visa restrictions remain a major barrier to intra-African travel. He said a visa-free Africa could double tourism within the continent, boost local economies, and create more jobs.
He assured participants of the government’s goodwill and prayers, adding that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was personally supportive of the initiative.
“The whole country will be with you in prayers. We wish you all the best and a successful trip,” Mr. Debrah concluded.
The Trans-African road campaign
The campaign team is led by former Member of Parliament Ras Mubarak, who disclosed that the 163-day road trip will cover about 40,000 kilometres across the continent.
According to him, the journey will include scheduled meetings with African heads of state and press engagements in every country visited.
Sponsorship and route
The campaign is supported by the National Investment Bank, Ghana National Gas, Ghana Cocoa Board, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Stanbic Bank, GLICO, NLA, GIPC, Afrimix, and others. Additional support is also coming from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Chief of Staff.
The first stop is Lomé, Togo, on August 18, before continuing through Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), Angola, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic.
The final leg will cover Chad, Niger, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso, before concluding in Ghana.
Story by Osman Abadoo
