Coronavirus: Our borders are still opened despite President's directive - Upper East NDC

The National Democratic Congress in the Upper East Region has asserted that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s directive to close all borders in the country to human traffic is not being adhered to in the Upper East region.

The party at a press conference on the region’s preparedness and response to the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus covered by MyNewsGh.com said “it is disheartening to inform you that although our land borders are supposedly closed, as per the directive of the President, it is trite knowledge that they are open. We are saying that the land borders that we share with Burkina Faso and Togo are open because they are porous, and still allow people to enter our country in droves. Quite unsurprisingly, since Monday, 23rd March, 2020, that the closing of borders order took effect, there are still hundreds of people if not thousands who enter the country especially from Upper East Region through our land borders with Burkina Faso and Togo.”

The party among others indicated that health facilities in the region and particularly front-line workers have not been properly resourced with logistics to enhance their preparedness to contain the situation.

The Regional Communications Officer Saeed Ahmed Tijani who addressed the press stated that “on risk communication and community engagement, readiness and response relative to COVID-19, the Upper East is terribly lagging behind. It is often said that one of the most important and effective interventions in public health response to any pandemic is to proactively communicate what is known, what is unknown and what is being done to get more information with the objective of saving lives and avoiding misunderstanding. Therefore, in times like this, regular and proactive communication and engagement with the public and at-risk population can help to alleviate confusion and avoid misunderstanding.”

While pledging their readiness to support the government in the fight against the Corona Virus as stated by their flagbearer John Dramani Mahama, they called for the establishment of a joint Military, Immigration and Police team and equip them to regularly patrol Ghana’s land border with Burkina Faso and Togo.

“COVID-19 is an enemy of mankind. Already, its dire ramifications on social and economic lives, education and all other human interactions could be felt across the globe. It is against this backdrop that our call on the Akufo-Addo Government to strengthen its measures at all land borders in the Upper East Region has to be heeded with all urgency and proactiveness,” the party stated.