Govt urged to open borders to facilitate trade

Tema, April 25, GNA - The Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) has appealed to the government to consider opening the country's borders for 24 hours to enhance trade transactions within the West African sub-region, especially Ghana.

Making the appeal through the Ghana News Agency at Tema on Tuesday, Mr Kojo Adom Moses, Chairman of the GRTCC said the partial closure of the borders hinder smooth trade transactions.

He said, to promote ECOWAS business, all borders along the corridors of countries forming the Abidjan-Lagos Corridors Organization (ALGOA) should remain opened to ensure free movement of goods and persons without hindrance and regretted that Ghana's borders were closed at 2200 hours daily. Countries forming the ALGOA are Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Cote d' Ivoire.

While calling on the government to impress on security agencies at the borders not to interfere unnecessary in the movement of goods and services, Mr Moses also asked passengers and traders alike to abide by the trade regulations in order to avoid delays. According to him, such delays compelled haulage drivers and traders to spend the night at odd places and thus, indulged in immoral activities, which contributed to the contraction of sexual transmitted diseases.

Mr Moses stated categorically that under the trade regulations, transit goods to landlocked countries need not be examined and urged officials to the borders to respect it accordingly. The Chairman of the GRTCC advised traders against smuggling and tax evasion, as well as under de-clearing of goods and stressed the need to carry correct travelling documents with them. 25 April 06