Akufo-Addo extends border closures by a month

The President, Nana Akufo-Addo has extended the closure of the country’s borders by a month.

He said the extension is to enable the country to contain the coronavirus pandemic which is wreaking havoc across the world.

In effect, the closure of all the country’s borders – land, air and sea – will be extended effective May 4. The closures will, however, not apply to goods.

Addressing workers at a virtual May Day celebration on the national broadcaster GBC, he said the extension is in order is to ensure that there is no risk of importation of coronavirus cases into the country.

On March 22, the President in his third address to the nation on measures government is taking to tackle the pandemic, announced the closure of the country’s borders.

“All that government is doing is intended to achieve five key objectives: limit and stop the importation of the virus, contain its spread, provide adequate care for the sick, limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life, and inspire the expansion of our domestic capabilities and deepen our self-reliance,” he said.

The President reviewed the directive on April 4, during the country’s 21-day lockdown when Ghana’s Covid-19 cases were rising.

The extension he explained was to ensure the importation of the coronavirus remains curtailed, while government deals with the enhanced tracing and testing program currently underway.

Announcing yet another extension Friday, the President reiterated that the measure is largely to help Ghana deal with its cases without importing new ones.

Ghana’s coronavirus case count currently stands at 2,074 with 212 recoveries and 17 deaths.