Ghanaian highlife artiste, Kwaisey Pee, has bemoaned what he describes as the pervasive politics of deception in Ghana.
Speaking as a guest on Power FM, the musician shared his experience at Kotoka International Airport when he attempted to use the Electronic-Gate (E-gate) recently commissioned at the arrival section of the airport.
“I was outside the country when I heard E-gates had been commissioned at the airport so one could use their card to check out. So when I disembarked, I pulled out my card to use because that’s the practice in places like America. I don’t join the immigration queue; all I do is place my passport on the machine when I get to the UK and straight away, I am checked out. I was impressed by the idea that the same thing had been replicated here and that you just have to put your card on the machine without going through immigration service,” he said.
Despite his excitement about using the new system, the musician said he was embarrassed by staff at the airport who made him aware that the E-gate was not in use.
“But when I got to the machine and pulled out my card, as soon as I attempted to place it on the machine, they started shouting at me to stop,” he said.
“They said it doesn’t work, but when I was back there, I heard it works. Issues like these are a challenge. We should be concerned about doing things to benefit citizens. I know some African countries which have had the same leaders for over twenty years, and that is because of the quality of leadership they offer. Paul Kagame of Rwanda is an example; I think he is doing something good which has seen him being retained by his people. So once you perform as a government, you won’t be the one to tell the people to retain you,” he added.
The comment by the musician comes on the back of Ghana’s recent election, which saw the ruling New Patriotic Party suffering defeat to the opposition National Democratic Congress.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the NPP, during the commissioning of the E-gates a few weeks before the election, emphasized the benefits of the technology to travellers and the nation’s readiness for the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions.
“Our system identifies every individual crossing our borders, whether by land, sea, or air. It integrates databases such as Ghana National Watch List, Interpol’s Global Watch List, and Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System, also known as the Pisces System,” he said.
“What once required hours of waiting can now be completed in as little as 15 minutes from landing to exit from the airport, transforming the arrival and clearance process into one of efficiency and ease,” he added.
Despite the optimism expressed by the vice president, there have been some concerns raised about the timing of the commissioning of the project, with some arguing that it was rushed.
Listen to Kwaisey Pee below:
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