Togo has opened her border with Ghana at Aflao in the Volta Region 24 hours every day.

The move by the Togolese authorities, which started last week, is seen as an adherence to the call by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Prior to last week, the Aflao border was closed at 10:00 pm daily and opened again at about 5:00 am by Togolese immigration.

At a State dinner held in his honour by the Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé in May this year, President Nana Akufo-Addo pushed for the 24-hour access to the Ghana and Togo borders in order to boost trade and tourism between the countries.

The President said the opening of the borders will give true meaning to the ECOWAS Protocols on Free Movement of Goods and Persons and will spur on progress and prosperity for both nationals.

“A functional common regional market in ECOWAS has to be a very fundamental objective of all our people and governments of the region. It is for this reason that I am very much for the 24 hour opening of the borders between our two countries,” he told Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé.

“The opening of our borders will give true meaning to the ECOWAS Protocols on Free Movement of Goods and Persons, and will spur on progress and prosperity for our people,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo noted that it was extremely important for the welfare of the 350 million people living in West Africa, that its leaders showed strong political will to make ECOWAS an economic and political success, and to make the integration real.

“I am fully committed, and I know President Faure Gnassingbé is too. With West Africa’s population set to reach some 500 million people in 20 years time, there are immense opportunities to bring prosperity to our region with enterprise and creativity.

“The time for West African integration is now. Ghana and Togo should take the lead in converting ECOWAS into a true regional market, and, indeed, in helping to facilitate the wider efforts at continental integration and unity,” he added.