Help us get land borders re-opened – Speaker urged

The Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Gambo Yusuf Hamza has appealed to the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban S. K. Bagbin, and the Parliament of Ghana to intervene in order for the country’s land borders to be re-opened.

He said traders and businesses who ply these land borders have been adversely affected by the closure, adding that this has slowed down economic activities and the revenue governments generate from these borders.

Ambassador Gambo made the appeal when he led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Speaker in Parliament to discuss issues of mutual cooperation between the two countries.

He said the Government of Ghana can devise an effective means of ensuring that travellers using the countries’ land borders adhere strictly to the protocols put in place to check the spread of the COVID-19 virus while ensuring that economic activities are not halted.

Ambassador Gambo further called for a review of the amount charged for renewal of residence permits which he said has been costly, making it difficult for a lot of Nigerians resident in the country to afford and pay promptly.

According to him, even those who can afford it complain about delays in the processing of the renewal of permits.

He, therefore, appealed to the Speaker to intercede for the government to take a second look at it.

The Speaker, Alban S.K. Bagbin, also assured the delegation of his commitment to see the 8th Parliament live up to expectation.

He added that the many artificial borders created by our colonial masters must not serve as an impediment to sub-regional integration.

Speaker Bagbin, therefore, urged African leaders to rise up to the challenges confronting the continent and implement solutions that will improve the socio-economic conditions of Africans.