Ivorian border closure gravely affecting business – Elubo residents lament

Six (6) weeks since President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced that all land borders should be fully opened to allow the free movement to boom business activities, residents at the Elubo in the Western Region say they are not feeling the impact.

According to him, Ghana’s neighboring country Cote D’Ivoire still has its border closed making businesses still at a standstill.

Business activities were brought to a halt owing to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Residents of the Elubo border were elated when President Akufo-Addo announced the reopening of the land borders in the country.

However, the expectations with the opening of the Elubo border are yet to materialize after almost 6 weeks of the announcement. Elubo which is noted for economic liveliness is still a ghost town.

Some checks by Empire News at Elubo indicate that the Ivorian side of the border remains closed, leaving traders dejected as business activities are at a halt since residents of Cote D’Ivoire cannot enter Ghana and vice versa.

“Things have become very difficult and we are struggling in business as you can see for yourself. Before trading was quite easy and you could expect to have something by the close of the day. The French are our main buyers but since the border was closed they do not come around anymore. The government must come to our aid.

“Things are not any different from when the border was closed. It has always been difficult and this time also because the French border has not been opened. Though people have the impression that things are better after the opening of the Ghana border but that is not the case especially because the French border remains closed,” residents explained.

The continued “I still do my regular hawking but nothing really comes out of it at the end of the day. Hence, I will entreat the Ecowas chairman to convince the French to open their border for us to trade with them especially since the disease has subsided.”

They are, therefore, calling on President Akufo Addo as ECOWAS Chairman to intervene in the reopening of the Ivorian border.