Open our borders now! Voltarians chant, as they march against Akufo-Addo
The protesters
Residents of the Volta Region are demonstrating today, Friday, 27 August 2021, to mount pressure on President Nana Akufo-Addo to open the land borders in that part of the country.
The demonstrators say the closure of the borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is bringing untold hardships to the people living in border towns.
The Volta Regional arm of the main opposition National Democratic Congress, in a statement, issued earlier, called on its supporters to join the protest.
The party, however, urged the organisers to ensure that participants strictly observe all the COVID-19 protocols”.
The land borders have been closed since 22 March 2020 but goods are allowed into the country.
In October 2020, the National Chairman of the NDC, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, said the party would immediately reopen the country’s land borders if it won the December polls.
According to Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, COVID-19 has reduced, hence, it was necessary to reopen the country’s land entry points to enable border countries to carry out their trade activities.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofu made the comment in Ketu North of the Volta Region where the party introduced former President John Dramani Mahama’s running mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, to the electorate.
The NDC Chairman said: “How does the government expect the people of Ketu South to survive? When we asked them, they say it is because of COVID”.
“Have you seen COVID crossing borders before?”
“It is only Nana Akufo-Addo and Bawumia, who can tell us that the COVID crossed the border and that if you close the border, COVID will not be able to come”.
“I want to assure you that 40 days from now, there is going to be an election and there’s going to be a new president and a new government under the leadership of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. The NDC government, under John Mahama, will not ensure that the border closes perpetually”, he promised at the time.
“We will open the border immediately and allow trade activities between Ghana and Togo.”