Crossing the barrier between Ghana and Togo.

I was in Togo Last Friday and crossing the barrier through the approved route with genuine traveling document is like committing a crime.

Friday, 5th May 2017, I joined STC mini bus from Accra going to Togo. We were 14 passengers 2 or 3 peoples drop along the way and the rest got to Aflo. Most of them choose to pass through back door but some of us believed in doing the right think so, I walk straight to Ghana immigration and get my passport stand without any problem.

But when I got to Togo side it was a different story there was this woman sitting there who collected my passport goes through it page after page then said 2 miles francs or twenty Ghana Cedis Immediately I asked what for then she responded for the stamp quickly, I change the language from English to French.This time she would not even mind me. I've to stand there for sometime while there I notice that those holding Togolis passport get their stamps without question and different nationalities have to paid these 2miles francs then I decided to negotiate for mind and she "you can't come and break the rules here" finally she asked how much do I have and I said miles francs then she said bring it but little did I known that there are more tables out there to pay this 2 miles francs or hard negotiation. Returning the story was different but there is hope because at the final exit the negotiation was soft I did not pay anything.

Now I question is do we have two different law operating within the ECOWAS?

Last year I was in Bourkina Fasso and I never experience anything of that sort. On Ghana side I went in there to fill some card and get my passport stamps at the Bourkinabee side I did even see the person who stamp the passport. We were standing by the bus when the official came to collect the passport went to stamp it and bring it back. There was nothing like negotiation how much to be paid.

We won these to be changed.