PASSENGERS AND FREIGHT MOVEMENT ACROSS LAGOS AND ACCRA INTERNATIONAL BORDERS

Abstract

This research work assessed the volume of passenger exchange across Lagos-Accra land borders; the pattern of legal travelers across the borders; the reasons associated with cross border movements; the effectiveness of the security in curbing the crime rate at Seme Nigeria land border; and also, the overall economic, social and security implications of cross border operations in Nigeria. The research focused on passengers’ movement at Seme Border, Lagos, Nigeria, being the busiest border. Primary data were collected through focus group discussion and self- administration of purposely designed questionnaire to selected respondents include the passengers that ply Lagos-Accra through the selected transport companies and the security personnel at the border posts whose function is authorization of passengers’ movement across the border. Secondary data obtained include the passengers’ manifests from the selected transport companies between 2012 and 2019. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that a total of 2,990,080 passengers were conveyed from Lagos to Accra and vice versa between 2012 and 2019 and passengers from Nigeria were 63.50% while 36.50% came from Ghana. Also, the total number of Nigerians that travelled from Lagos to Accra were 1,855,505, out of which only 30.9% returned to Nigeria. The findings also revealed that all the transport companies commuting passengers across Lagos-Accra borders are guilty of conveying illegal passengers across the borders. A total of 1,090,620 passengers entered Lagos from Accra and out of which 58.6% of the passengers possessed valid travelling documents and 41.4% of the passengers came to the country without any thing to ascertain their legality into the country. The findings also revealed that there is 55.5% of variation in the independent variable, and the multiple correlation is 0.745. This is an indication that the security level at Seme border is not enough to curb illegal immigration of people and smuggling of goods. This has contributed greatly to socio-economic challenges presently witnessed in the country according to the findings. The study made useful recommendations on the need to provide adequate security at Nigerian borders, and thorough monitoring of the security personnel, for them not to compromise in the discharge of their legal duties