From: Stephen A. Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

During my recent vacation in Ghana, my wife and I happened to observe the situation of long queues people go through at various foreign high commissions and embassies as far as application for visa for one to travel to those countries are concern.

It was nice sunny day as the weather was very humid but I was enjoying it since I have returned from a country where the temperature could fall below 32 degree Celsius so we jumped on the car to go and do business at one of the government departments at Accra.

The traffic was heavy from the area where we were residing therefore have to use by passes in order to dodge the main roads traffics leading to Accra so we can finish of our business on time and return to relax for the day. As we started to follow the by pass routes, we got down to La Trade Fair 37 road where we took the one that passes in front of the American Embassy and whiles we were driving off, my wife parted my shoulder drawing my attention to the long queue which was spilling onto the street.

Whiles taking a look, she asked me,” Stephen why are these people sweating under the scorching sun” and my answer was as simple,” darling they are here to either apply for visa to travel to that country”.

Then we sped off to the Canadian embassy where some people were spotted sitting inside waiting for their turn to either attend interviews or submit visa application forms for authorization to travel to this country.

The situation was not different from British Council where many students were found going through college and university catalogues to find which institute offers the best course so they can apply for the visa to go and study there.

Not only have these three countries which have their embassies or high commissions in Ghana that immigrants swamped every day to apply for visa to travel to these countries.

As the frustrations become unbearable some decide to dump the normal procedure in seeking for the visa and enter the country of choice by so many illegal means.

But as they do enter these countries illegally, they do not know what awaits them in their foreign destinations of choice? Allow me to enlighten you a bit about what awaits you when you cross the border of these selected countries illegally so you can make an inform choice once you have decided to seek greener pastures outside Ghana.

If you cross the North Korean border illegally, you get twelve years hard labour.

If you cross the Iranian border illegally, you are detained indefinitely. Crossing the Afgan border illegally, you get shot and buried.

Saudi Arabia yes, is a rich country to do business but if you cross the border illegally you will be jailed. If you cross the Chinese border illegally, you may never be heard from again.

Go through the normal procedure to get visa to travel to Venezuela and you will walk chest out but if you cross the border illegally you will be branded a spy and your fate will be sealed. But if you cross the Cuban border illegally, you will be thrown into political prison to rot whiles if you cross the British border illegally, you will always be asked to identify yourself where if you do not have authorization will be deported.

If you cross the United States of America border illegally, when you are lucky, you could pursue your education and do whatever business you want and for more than 15 years could not obtain your green paper to authorize your stay in the country which means you could be deported anytime when caught.

But when you enter Canada border illegally, expect the Canada Border Services Agency as well as the Immigration and Citizenship Canada, to serve you with a removal letter followed by an arrest if you do not leave the country peaceful where they will throw you out quietly.

Currently, these two bodies aforementioned have identified 30 suspected war criminals purported to have entered the country illegally where it is working around the clock to remove them from the country.

So far six have been arrested with three already deported whiles aside these war criminals, these bodies are again working to remove about 180,000 immigrants the immigration department claims they used fraudulent means to obtain their citizenship and resident permit cards.

Fellow readers, it is not in anyone’s interest to poison immigrants mind from embarking on their journey of seeking greener pastures outside the country Ghana. As it is worth encouraging them to make hay where the sun shines, it will be proper to also educate them on proper procedures to follow in order not to put themselves into trouble.

Many of these immigrants do not know what awaits them as they hasten to travel to these aforementioned foreign destinations therefore it will be wise to share with them these few things that awaits them should they enter those countries mentioned border illegally.

Over to you Joe Lartey. A word to the wise is enough.