The Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Dzifa Gomashie, disagrees with the decision to continue keeping the country’s land borders closed after two years over the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Interior Minister, Ambrose Derry, answering questions on the floor of parliament on the closure of the borders, said the government knows the impact it is having on businesses, hence the initiation of the ‘Obaatanpa Care Programme’ to support in revitalising the businesses of such persons.
“Government knows the impact the land border closure is having on border communities, especially their businesses. It must however be noted that the closure does not affect only border communities, particularly Aflao, but Ghanaians in general, because of the strict movement restrictions on how to import and export.”
“In this same regard, the government introduced the Ghana Covid-19 alleviation and revitalisation of enterprises support, known as the ‘Obaatanpa Programme’ to help Ghanaians alleviate the impact on their businesses.”
He urged Ghanaians living along the borders including Aflao to take advantage of the programme until the borders are opened.
The Ketu South MP expressing her dissatisfaction with the Interior Minister’s comment in a Citi News interview.
“Considering the fact that they were the same people affected by the tidal waves last year, how do they survive?” she asked.
“If the impact of the prolonged closure was not thought through before the decisions were taken, it can be revisited” she noted.
Some border communities in the country have held demonstrations to demand the reopening of the land borders but to no avail.
Some have suggested that the closure is of no use as some persons continue to use the borders illegally.
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