Some Ghanaian staff who are manning the various Terminals of the Kotoka International Airport under the Ghana Airport Company Limited, the Customs and Ghana Immigration and some of GACL’s third party partners have been exposed as beggars and petty thieves, MyNewsGh.com has filed.
An investigation conducted by MyNewsGh.com following series of complaints from many Ghanaians and foreigners who are appalled about the eyesore begging and luggage pilfering the KIA staff take prospective travelers through revealed the situation is more terrible and deeper than is often reported.
The Members of Staff of GACL, Immigration and Customs who are paid every month (some with allowances) for the work they do at the Kotoka International Airport, are reportedly always harassing travelers with begging demands sometimes deliberately frustrating clients where the person refuses to heed.
Pieces of luggage of travelers sometimes are opened and items pilfered in their absence. Where they are present in a search, the officials pick valuables and say declare it as their gift (depending on the season).
Some travelers say items they know are allowable are sometimes seized by these officials allegedly for their own use. This is mostly done to Ghanaian travelers.l whereas the begging targets both Ghanaians and foreigners with whites suffering the begging spree most.
Twenty-eight (28) travelers who used the Terminal 3 randomly interviewed between Friday and Tuesday(yesterday) said they faced the situation with begging. All of them. Only two had luggage issues but said it was being resolved after filing official complaints.
Out of the 28, only 7 said they were able to fight and resist payment of any begging cash. They respondents said some of the KIA staff will pester and push with emotional blackmail, asking for gifts in kind too, like a headset, earpods or just anything if you don’t have cash.
One traveler, Kwame Owusu Danso put his this way:
“It is so disgraceful that Ghanaians working at Kotoka International Airport, Accra beg travellers profusely for money. They are men and women in Immigration, Customs and airlines’ uniforms. Every passenger being processed is asked to give lunch, drop something, treat your children well before you go, you know the tradition among others.”
“It is very disgusting that our country Ghana is being disgraced this way as if those working at the airport are not paid salaries. You go through other international airports and no one patronises you so.”
Officials of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, when called, declined to comment.
Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has been encouraged to “put some discipline in the system by making announcements that encourage passengers to report for sanctioning, such Beggers in Uniforms at the Kotoka International Airport”.
