I believe that Borderless is a very good initiative. I was leaving Accra last week traveling by local transport. Once we arrived at the Benin-Togo border, the police asked me for 1,000 CFA. I said, “I’m not paying – and if I have to pay, I would like a receipt.” The officer got angry and said, “OK, so you will not cross the border.” I made a scene and when the officer’s chief arrived, he said I was right and let me pass. 

 

 

I arrived at the Togo-Ghana border, just as I was with you during the inauguration of the Border Information Center in August. They asked me for money and I told them the same thing. The officer threw passport on the ground and said, “You are not going to cross, you’re just a simple trader with the nerve to ask for a receipt!” I went to see his boss and told him, “I work with the people from Borderless and your officer threw my passport on the ground because I asked for a receipt.” The boss was obviously nervous and asked me to excuse him for the situation. He then himself went to stamp my passport and warned the officer.

 

 

Arriving at the Ghana side, the same thing – “Madam, you must pay 1,000 CFA!” My response the same: “OK, no problem, just give me a receipt!” The officer was a woman this time and she got angry and told me that if I want a receipt I will have to pay 10,000 CFA. I said, “No problem, if that’s the legal fee, I will pay it.” She became angrier and, when she saw that I did not have an exit stamp on my passport, she said, “Now you have a more serious problem, let’s get the boss to see this!” Once we were at the chief’s office, I said, “I was with the Borderless delegation for the launch of the new centers and as I was late to leave for the airport, I forgot to get the exit stamp – and when I told your officer I would not pay her 1,000 CFA, she became very angry.” The officer tried to lie that she had stopped me because there was no exit stamp but the boss told her, “Don’t let me ever hear that you are stealing from people – take her passport, stamp it with the exit and entry stamps quickly. Madam,” he said to me, “please truly excuse us, we are going to be vigilant, please forget everything you’ve seen today.”

 

I’m writing this to tell you that Borderless is effective – that with Borderless traders have a weapon against unscrupulous agents at the borders.