Hon. Elliot Edem Agbenorw the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ketu South in the Volta Region, says the closure of the Aflao border requires a bit of time and consultation for a concrete decision, the concerns raised by residents to reopen the border is recognized, he added.

The borders were closed as part of measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision on whether to open the border or not is beyond the personal decision of President Nana Akufo-Addo or the Municipal Assembly but lies within the mandate of leaders of the West African subregional bloc he noted.

Protestors argued that air borders, which were closed together with land borders due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, have been reopened, but there are no attempts to replicate same for land borders. But the MCE maintained that, although the demonstrators had genuine reasons, they ought to exercise patience and comply with the directive.

In their petition, the protestors want “government to [in the interim] provide support for businesses and households at border towns even as they recover from the pandemic and the closure of borders”.

The MCE assured that the petition will be submitted to the Office of the President for the next step to be taken.