The Ghana side of the Ghana-Togo border at Aflao is jammed with hundreds of travellers of different nationalities as Togolese officials enforced their government’s decision to bar travellers without valid documents from entering that country.
When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the border on Friday, hundreds of travellers especially men, who neither possessed valid travelling documents nor Togolese voter identity cards, were being refused entry.
Women traders from Aflao with head loads of foodstuffs for sale in Lome were, however, allowed entry after much difficulty.
As some of the travellers tried to force their way into Lome they were subjected to heckling, whipping and pushing by the Gendarmes.
Some of the men, who managed to breakthrough into that country, alleged that they had to pay 30,000 cedis (2,000 CFA) in addition to being made to sign several documents by the Gendarmes at the border.
Some residents of Aflao attributed the situation to the need to tighten security prior to the June 1, Presidential elections in Togo.
In a Press statement last week the Togolese Authorities advised travellers to carry valid travelling documents.
The statement said “until further notice anyone who enters Togo without valid documents risked being arrested by the authorities”.
Source: GhanaWeb
