Time to Open Borders fully; Reduce Covid-19 testing charges at KIA – Minority Leader speaks

The Leader of the Minority Group in Parliament and the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tamale South constituency, Haruna Iddrisu, has called on the Government to immediately open all land borders with recourse to COVID-19 measures.

He said it is long overdue for the government of Ghana to open its land borders in line with COVID-19 protocols to enable the return of economic activities at border communities “in these hard times”.

At a news conference in Parliament on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 to address some pertinent issues, Mr. Iddrisu said it is time for the President, the Interior Minister and the Minister for Defense to take urgent practical steps to open land borders to allow free movement of goods and people to alleviate the economic hardships on the communities.

“Our primary concern today is to call on the ECOWAS chairman (the president of Ghana) to open the boarders for normal life to return to border towns”.

He also called for a review of the current US$150 COVID-19 test charges at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

The Minority Leader made the point that, other countries are charging US$50 or US$100 at most. He chastised the government and emphasized that “for a non-Ghanaian to pay US$150 is unimaginable”.

He said, at best, it should be free for Ghanaians who want to return to Ghana and contribute to the growth and development of the country.

He gave the hints that, he will together with the Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs Committee and the MP for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa sponsor a motion on the Floor of Parliament for a review of the “questionable contract awarded to the Frontiers to provide COVID-19 test at KIA.

He again accused the government of committing diplomatic error by recently razing down the Bulgarian Embassy in Accra.

He described the demolishing exercise as a complete diplomatic blunder – “now, in an even more shocking, exceedingly lawless, provocative and mafia-style operation — the Bulgarian Embassy in Accra at Kakramadu Road, Plot No. 10, East Cantonments has been completely razed to the ground”.

By Edzorna Francis Mensah