Check points before Seme Border

When we set out at 5:45am that morning from Maryland in Lagos, we asked Captain (our driver) what time he thinks we would arrive Accra; he said: before 3pm if we played by the rules. But if we choose not to do the needful and insist on our rights as travelers with complete travel document, he cannot guarantee what time we would arrive Accra.

We met the first Immigration check point at Agbara 43km to Seme border. They stopped our bus like every other vehicle and our driver explained the mission of DWAP on the road trip. They immediately asked him to move without any checks.

The numerous check points we encountered include: The Police, Anti-Bomb police, Army, Immigration, DSS, Customs, NDLEA, Port Health, Road safely.

Our team had to endure a lot of delays because we decided to provide our travel documents as officially required. We had different interesting as well as frustrating encounters at different check points and at the border. We shall relieve the memories at subsequent posts.

By the time we got to Seme border, we had counted 52 checkpoints!

Some of them are only a few poles from the other, while some check points have combined authorities in one elongated parade of check points; Immigration, Customs, Army, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

This was so frustrating for us and other road users.

When we finally arrived Seme border we met the following authorities:
The Police, Anti-Bomb police, Army, Immigration, DSS, Customs, NDLEA, Port Health, Road safely, NAFDAC, QURANTINE and of course ‘The Agents’.

Here, we observed that public transport drivers work with ‘The Agents’ to grant their buses and passengers ease of passage. These agents are the liaison between the drivers/travelers and authorities at the border. They have a standard fee they charge to facilitate ease of movement of people and goods.
And I dare say, they do make the border experience easy and enjoyable once you do ‘the needful’
Although, if you are a newbie, they will charge you much more depending on your situation (Virgin passport, ID card traveler, etc.) but the experience is less stressful.

On arrival, we paid a quick courtesy call to the Comptroller of Immigration Services at Seme boarder command, Dr. M. C. Dike. He was very amiable and after a warm exchange of pleasantries, he handed us over to an Immigration officer who assisted with our border processes. However, we also had other border officials to deal with (a story for another day).

Destination West Africa Project road trip from Nigeria to Cote d’Ivoire started on 2nd November, at 5:45am. We arrived Oak Plaza Hotel in Accra precisely 11:42pm!

We spent a day in Accra to present Mr. Ahmed Naamann, CEO of Dodi Travel & Tours his certificate of inauguration as Destination West Africa Project Ambassador in Ghana. We also attended Ghana National Tourism Awards on the 3rd before proceeding to Cote d’Ivoire the next day for Abissa Festival in Grand-Bassam.

For more information, follow: @destinationwestafricaproject or visit www.destinationwestafricaproject.org
Details of the cost implications for traveling this route is available on request.

So much to share on #MyBorderExperiences #DestinationWestAFricaProject #GogeAfrica
West Africa is a #MustVisitDestination

We invite Tourism stakeholders, the ECOWAS Communities, the traveling public, relevant authorities and the ECOWAS Commission to support our plea for the lowering of the barriers that impede intra-regional travels, tourism, trade and investment within West Africa.
Watch out for our next post!
Written by yours truly @nnekaisaacmoses #QueenOfTourism

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