As the country battles a new wave of the deadly coronavirus disease, the government has reiterated that Ghana’s land borders will remain closed.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in his 27th address to the nation on Wednesday, 15 December 2021, explained that the time was not right to reopen the borders despite calls from residents along border areas.
“We are monitoring the level of threat of the disease and ongoing vaccinations in our neighbouring countries, and, as soon as we are satisfied that it is safe to do so, the borders will be opened.
“Until then, I believe this is not the right time to reopen our land borders, especially as we are determined to prevent the 4th wave, and, as such, they will remain closed until further notice,” the President stated.
The president’s decision comes at a time where residents along the border areas have called for reopening of the borders.
On August 27, some aggrieved residents of Aflao thronged major streets in the Volta Region to protest the continuous closure of the border between Ghana and Togo.
The demonstrators who were clad in red and black attire were seen holding placards with inscriptions such as “Mie Fu Kpem” meaning “we are suffering”, as they chanted war songs on Friday, August 27.
Residents in the Ketu South Municipality have one request: for the government to open the Aflao border to allow traders openly go about their activities.
While acknowledging the challenges caused by the closure of the country’s land borders, the President said the move is in the best interest of the country.
“I know of the difficulties occasioned by the closure of our borders. As you know, the decision to close our borders, which are a source of livelihoods for many, was necessary because we wanted to limit the importation of the virus into the country,” the president explained.
President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the closure of the borders in March 2020, as part of measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The land borders have only been allowing the passage of cargo.