President Nana Akufo-Addo has finally given a response to demonstrators against the continued closure of land borders in Ghana.
The President noted that the reopening of the borders comes with a huge risk and associated challenges controlling human contacts.
Speaking in an interview on Takoradi-based radio station; Skyy Power FM, President Akufo-Addo said the demands for reopening of the border will not be granted, adding that it would be in the best interest of people to restrict human traffic until experts advise otherwise.
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According to him, the country is still not out of the woods as regards the Covid-19 pandemic, thus reopening land borders would come with a huge risk and associated challenges. This includes, controlling human contacts, testing, putting in place health measures among others.
Speaking during a radio interview in the Western Region, President Akufo-Addo said Ghana was named as one of the best countries as far as management of Covid-19 was concerned, because of some of the extensive measures taken, such as closing of borders.
President Akufo-Addo explained, “the land borders pose a different kind of problem. You have got unauthorised ways of coming into the country, controlling that is still difficult. It is doubtful the system of testing at the borders can be as rigorous as they are at Kotoka.”
“There are lots of our people who are doing this coming and going on a daily basis [at land borders], how are we going to test people? Until we are sure that we have strong control over it, we need to be careful.”
He explained that the airports are able to operate because a first-class system is in place to regulate movement, contacts among others.
He stated that the measures at the airport give room for controlling the movement of people into and out of the country and to prevent situations that can increase the country’s Covid-19 cases.
President Akufo-Addo’s statement comes after hundreds of residents of Elubo in the Western Region, protested the continued closure of the border between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
They are demanding the reopening of the border to ensure that the livelihoods of the citizens in the town and its surrounding communities, are restored.
Dubbed, ‘Open Our Land Border Now’ demonstration, members of the group, clad in red and black attire, were seen chanting war songs and hoisting placards, hoping that government heeds their call.
The President pleaded with the people to exercise patience, stating that the pandemic has had adverse effects not just on them but many people across the country.
But, until the country is able to eradicate issues that could come as a result of reopening the border, it is safe to keep them closed, he added.