On Wednesday, the Ghanaian Government urged the Federal Government to rethink its stance on closing borders with neighboring West African countries.

This plea was made by the Ghanaian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Ms Shirley Botchwey, who was in Abuja to have audience with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, on the possibility of persuading Nigeria to take a second look at the policy.

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In her visit, Ms. Botchwey noted that the closure of the borders with Benin Republic has adversely impacted on Ghanian traders.

Her counterpart, Trade Minister Allan Kyerematen and the acting High Commissioner for Nigeria, Mrs. Iva Denoo, accompanied her.

Botchwey’s visit to Abuja was a follow-up to her Tuesday’s parley with the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Olufemi Abikoye, in Accra.

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She pointed out that the situation has become so desperate that in countries severely affected by the decision it could lead to political unrest.

She said: “The closure of the borders has had considerable disruptions to trade in the sub-region, with grave consequential economic effects on Ghanaian traders.”

However, Mr Onyeama, in his remark, pointed out that reasons for the closure of the borders,is aimed at protecting the nation’s economy from people who illegally migrated and smuggled in goods to Nigeria.

Botchwey assured that the government would exhaust all diplomatic avenues to get Nigeria to reopen its western borders for the free flow of goods from Ghana to the sub-region.

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She said truckloads of goods from Ghana had been detained for weeks at the Seme Border between Benin and Nigeria, adding that returning the shipments to the seaports would be a major problem as the traders had already lost millions of cedis in recent weeks.

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