Guidelines for Foreign Correspondents Visiting Ghana

1. All foreign correspondents wishing to visit Ghana are required to complete an Application for Press Accreditation Form, together with a visa application, at the nearest Ghana Diplomatic Mission.

2. The Application for Press Accreditation Form, which should be accompanied by three (3) passport-sized photographs for each applicant, a synopsis of the work to be done in Ghana, a list of equipment to be sent to Ghana by the applicant and a copy of the personal details page of the passport of the applicant, will be forwarded to the Director of the Information Services Department (ISD) in Accra for processing. To avoid delays, the application must be received in Accra at least ten business days before the planned date of arrival in Ghana.

3. In the event of the need for correspondents to travel at short notice to cover breaking news in Ghana, permission can be sought through the Director of the Information Services Department in Accra via the following contact details: -

• Tel.:(+233 302) 228011, 228018;
• Fax: +233 302 228089
• E-mail: info.ml@isd.gov.gh, mlinfo25@gmail.com.

4. The visiting correspondents should indicate the purpose of their visit, members of government and officials they would wish to interview, and places of interest they would like to visit. Applicants should also include a letter from employer stating the nature of work the applicant would be performing in Ghana. If applicant is working in collaboration with Ghanaian organizations, an additional letter would be required from the organization.

5. The Application for Press Accreditation should be accompanied by a list of equipment to be used while in Ghana. The equipment will then be cleared duty-free on the undertaking that all items listed will be re-exported.

6. Requests for an interview with the President should be accompanied by questions for the interview. The questions should be received in Accra not less than four weeks before the arrival of the correspondent in the country.

7. Requests for interview with Ministers of State and government officials should be made through the Information Services Department.

8. Visiting correspondents should, on arrival in the country, report at the Information Services Department for accreditation before they undertake any assignment. The ISD’s offices can be located in the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall, Barnes Road, Accra (near Worker’s College).

9. Upon arrival in Ghana, a fee is charged for the issue of press cards to foreign correspondents. This accreditation covers only one visit (One (1) day to Three (3) Months).

10. Accreditation for resident foreign correspondents is given for a period of one year, subject to renewal. Application for renewal should be accompanied by a written confirmation from the correspondent’s employers that he is still in their employment. A fee is charged for the issue of accreditation covering a period of the year.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ACCREDITATION REQUESTS ARE PROCESSED PRIOR TO VISA APPLICATIONS THUS, MISSION RECOMMENDS THAT REQUESTS FOR PRESS ACCREDITATION AND VISA BE PRESENTED OR MAILED TOGETHER FOR PROCESSING.

CONDITIONS FOR FILMING IN GHANA

11. Personnel of the Armed Forces, Police, Immigration, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and Prisons should not be photographed, filmed or interviewed without prior permission being sought through the Director of the Information Services Department.

12. It should be noted that the Presidency, all Military Installations, the Independence Arc should not be filmed or photographed without prior permission from the Office of State Protocol through the Information Services Department.

13. Correspondents based in areas where there is no Ghana Mission (eg. Nairobi etc.) may email details of their travel documents and flights schedules toinfo.ml@isd.gov.gh or mlinfo25@gmail.com so that the necessary arrangements can be made for them to be issued with entry permits on their arrival in the country.

14. It should be noted that the Presidency, all Military Installations, the Independence Arc should not be filmed or photographed without prior permission from the Office of State Protocol through the Information Services Department.

FEATURE FILMS

15. A script, including the cast, will have to be provided by the team for consideration and approval. Preferably, this should be submitted to the Director of Information Services Department, together with the Application for Press Accreditation, through the local Ghana Mission.

DOCUMENTARY FILMS

16. A synopsis or ‘treatment’ (as the case may be) will have to be provided for consideration and approval through the local Ghana Mission to the Director of Information Services Department.

17. The team will be required to give an undertaking that the film will be ‘shot’ strictly according to the approved script, synopsis or ‘treatment’. In the case of any deviation, this will have to be cleared with the Director of Information Services Department.

18. A facilitating officer will be attached to the team.

19. A copy of the unedited film will be made available free of charge to the Director of Information Services Department in Ghana or to a representative of the Government of Ghana in the country of the foreign organisation which sponsored the film.

CONTACT

20. The Information Services Department, Accra, may be contacted directly using the following details: