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OO RUEHAT
DE RUEHAR #1713/01 2260933
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O 140933Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5086
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA IMMEDIATE 0732
RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY IMMEDIATE 0328
RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA IMMEDIATE 0794
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI IMMEDIATE 0549
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI IMMEDIATE 0072
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA IMMEDIATE 0184
RUEHCO/AMEMBASSY COTONOU IMMEDIATE 0767
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 0172
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN IMMEDIATE 0052
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE 0116
RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA IMMEDIATE 0168
RUEHAT/AMCONSUL AMSTERDAM IMMEDIATE
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT IMMEDIATE 0543

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ACCRA 001713 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO AF/RSA KATHLEEN MOODY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN GH
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR CODEL PAYNE 
 
REF: STATE 112538 
 
¶1.  Ambassador Bridgewater warmly welcomes and grants country 
clearance for Hon. Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Mr. Ted Dagne to 
travel to Ghana August 22-24. The purpose of the visit is to 
meet with government officials and discuss regional and 
country specific issues. 
 
¶2.  Point of Contact: 
 
The Control Officer will be Political Officer Michael W. Gray. 
tel: 233-21-776859, cell: 233-(0)244-329207, office 
233-21-741851 
Fax 233-21-741921. The Embassy's after-hours numbers 
for emergencies/Post One are 233-21-775-297 or 0244-328-741 
(cell). 
Other key point of contact at the Embassy is Chris Stillman, 
Management Officer, 233-21-(0)244-327424. 
 
¶3.  Lodging: 
 
Hotel reservations within per diem have been made at 
the African Regent; Tel:  233-21-765180-2; Fax: 
233-21-766990. 
The hotel has a "non-show" penalty equivalent to one night's 
lodging. Failure to inorm post of cancellation at least 48 
hours in advance 
of scheduled arrival will result in the assessment of a 
penalty 
charge where required by the hotel involved.  Ensure that you 
bring 
enough cash or travelers checks to cover cost of hotel 
expenses. 
Use of credit cards is not recommended. 
 
¶4.  Security: 
 
Credit card fraud is a serious problem in Ghana and is 
prevalent at many of the hotels where TDY personnel stay.  The 
Regional Security Office recommends that all hotel charges be 
paid with cash or travelers checks.  Please ensure that your 
travel authorization covers hotel expenses.  Hotel 
reservations 
made through the Embassy travel office do not need to be 
confirmed with a credit card and you should not present your 
credit card if asked upon check in at the hotel. 
 
The security situation in Ghana is generally calm.  Political 
rallies and demonstrations have shown a tendency in the past 
to become violent and crime has become a serious concern 
recently.  Visitors are cautioned to take all reasonable 
precautions while traveling outside of a secure environment. 
Avoid carrying large sums of cash or wearing expensive jewelry 
while walking about.  Locking up valuables in hotel safes is 
highly recommended.  There is no specific threat information 
regarding your visit. 
 
Please note that visitors wishing to have access to Embassy 
facilities are required to cable post with their security 
clearance information. 
 
¶5.  Currency: 
 
The local currency is the cedi.  Current bank rate is cedis 
9,210 to USD 1.00.  However, on July 1 Ghana introduced a 
redominated cedi.  Four zeros will be removed from the current 
denomination but the value will not change.  Thus, 10,000 
cedis 
will become 1 new Ghanaian cedi.  Amounts less than one cedi 
will 
be expressed in pesewa with 100 pesewa to 1 new Ghanaian cedi. 
USD 1 will equal 92 pesewa (0.92 new Ghanaian cedis).  Foreign 
exchange (Forex) bureaus are common and generally reliable, 
and 
typically offer a better rate of exchange than banks or 
hotels. 
 
Hotel Forex bureaus are open daily and offer an exchange rate 
 
ACCRA 00001713  002 OF 003 
 
 
comparable to that of the Embassy for USD cash.  We encourage 
visitors to bring new bills in 100 and/or 50 denominations. 
Old 
bills, which can be identified by the smaller sized portraits, 
are not accepted and lower denomination bills (USD 20 and 
below) 
are exchanged at lower rates.  The amount of USD cash that 
can be 
exchanged is limited only by the availability of local 
currency 
at the Forex. 
 
¶6.  Health:  Chloroquine resistant malaria is present in 
Ghana. 
Prophylaxis should begin before arrival and continue 
throughout 
the entire length of stay.  A valid vaccination and shot 
record 
is required at the point of entry, and a yellow fever 
vaccination 
is required.  Typhoid and meningitis are present in Ghana, so 
post 
recommends that all visitors ensure that these immunizations 
are 
up to date.  TDY employees should note that medical 
facilities in 
Ghana are not equipped to provide satisfactory care for 
serious 
chronic illnesses.  Employees should consider any health 
conditions 
and medical requirements they might have prior to undertaking 
TDY 
travel and should consult with their personal physician 
regarding 
the safety or advisability of travel to Accra.  TDYers may 
also want 
to consult with M/DGHR/MED for detailed information on medical 
conditions and medical care capabilities at post. 
 
All travelers should visit www.travax.com; user ID statedept, 
password 4re$ted, and click on Ghana for travel medicine 
information. Individuals may also contact M/DGHR/MED for 
specific questions. 
A few important highlights are included in this paragraph. 
Chloroquine resistant malaria is present in Ghana.  Malaria 
prophylaxis should begin before arrival and continued beyond 
the travelers stay 
in Ghana as directed.  The Embassy Health Unit stocks limited 
supplies of medications for urgent medical problems only. 
Please carry 
adequate supplies of all your medications, including 
anti-malarials, to see 
you through the duration of your stay.  Documentation of 
yellow fever 
vaccination is required and may be requested by immigration 
officials upon entry.  Besides normal adult vaccinations, 
typhoid and 
meningitis are present in Ghana, so post recommends all 
visitors consider 
getting these immunizations as well.  Medical facilities in 
Ghana do not 
meet US standards.  Employees should consider any health 
conditions and 
medical requirements they might have prior to undertaking TDY 
travel and should consult with their personal physician 
regarding the 
safety or advisability of travel to Accra.  All travelers 
should insure 
that their health insurance will cover them overseas; many 
HMOs, 
Medicare, and Medicard do not provide international coverage. 
 All 
non-official travelers, including family members of TDY 
employees, do not have 
access to the Embassy Health Unit and will be referred to a 
local 
clinic if in need of assistance.  It is recommended that all 
non-official travelers check that they have medical 
 
ACCRA 00001713  003 OF 003 
 
 
evacuation insurance as part 
of or purchase in addition to their health insurance plan. 
 
¶7.  Visas:All visitors to Ghana must have a valid visa before 
arriving at the 
airport or border.  Airport/border visas are not available. 
 
¶8.  Post is looking forward to helping you make the most of 
your 
visit. 
BRIDGEWATER