Re-open land borders to prevent inflation - GUTA

With Ghana’s air and sea borders reopened after closure in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, calls have been made for the long overdue reopening of land borders.

The Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Joseph Paddy believes if the land borders are kept closed, there will be a shortage of goods in the country, hence an outrageous spike in the prices of goods.

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He notes the protocols put in place at the airports and sea ports can be replicated at the land borders, and make way for uninterrupted trade.

“We are pretending the land borders are closed but there are people coming into the country illegally. I think the land borders should be reopened so that we can bring goods into the country,” he told Don Kwabena Prah on Happy98.9FM’s Epa Hoa Daben political talk show.

According to him, traders on the continent work in consolidated teams but now the trade war between Nigeria and Benin is affecting businesses. “Now we import things through Nigeria and when our agents are bringing the things to us, they are stopped and charged at the Benin border when it is supposed to be a free border. They charge every single item being transported and if this goes on, prices of goods will go up because of the high demand but low level of supply, and there will be inflation.

Now the goods we import from China also take about 6 months to arrive in the country. They tell us their shipping containers are stuck in Europe and if the borders are also kept closed, we will suffer scarcity and see a rise in inflation.”

Joseph Paddy appealed to the government to reopen borders and end the incidence of illegal entries into the country. “We need to make sure people come in through approved routes and prevent the spread of other viruses.”

In July, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu South in the Volta Region, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, urged the government to consider reopening the land borders at key entry points in her constituency to alleviate the economic stress being suffered by her constituents.

She said the request was necessitated by the distress her constituents are currently going through due to the loss of capital and allow those who could afford to be allowed in and out of the country.

However her pleas went unrealized and now, residents plan to protest in Aflao, Ketu South District, Volta Region on Aug. 27, to demand the reopening of the land border with Togo.

The border has been closed to passenger traffic since March 2020 due to COVID-19. Participants will gather at 08:00 at Denu Junction before marching to Victoria Park. Hundreds of people may attend the event.