More than 10,000 people are expected on the streets of Aflao and its environs in the Ketu South constituency on Friday August 27, 2021, for the much publicized demonstration dubbed “Open Our Borders Now”. The constituency is currently the most populous in the Volta Region.
The demonstration slated is expected to start from Denu Junction at 8:00am and end at Aflao Victoria Park.
One of the organizers, Furguson Ahorlu, told ghananewsonline.com.gh in an interview on Thursday that “preparations are far advanced for a successful demonstration tomorrow. We are expectant of border constituencies, National/Regional Executives and other MPs affected by the closure to join us on Friday,” he stated.
Furguson Ahorlu who is the Constituency Organizer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ketu South said the Police have given the green light for the protest. He said the police are however concerned about the need for the protesters to observe COVID-19 protocols which is why they the organizers of the event have procured enough nose masks and hand sanitizer to share.
“We would also try and maintain a social distance because we love ourselves,” he stated.
According to him, border closure has led to “astronomical rise in food prices in major towns like Aflao, Denu, Agbozume, Klikor, Keta and other border communities?
The Organizer, himself a resident of the border community, Wudoaba, added that “I can say on authority that major foodstuffs in markets located close to Lomé Togo, have their prices increased. A bowl of corn/maize was Ghc4.7 before the closure of the border in Aflao but has gone up to Ghc13-15”.
On the hospitality Industry he said, bars, restaurants, hotels, guest houses, pubs, among others have also closed down and some have even disengaged many of their employees leading to more stress at homes.
He said Artisanal workers, head porters in Aflao and Lomé have been heavily affected, as well as “Carpenters, Masons, Plumbers, Electricians, Dressmakers, Tailors and other artisans who crossed to Lomé every day to work for daily bread”.
He accused some of the Security personnel of allegedly using the closure of the borders as a “goldmine”, because “every evening several long buses traveling all night arrived at Aflao from Kumasi. These huge number of passengers cross to Lomé, Togo.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Abla Dzifa Gomashie has fully endorsed the demonstration with a poster of an image of herself image and the organizers .
By Edzorna Francis Mensah