He said the long closure of the borders has significantly affected economic activities along border communities.

In a Facebook post calling for a review of the government’s COVID-19 restrictions, the former President said the ongoing deliberations by the government concerning the reopening of the borders “is long overdue and must be done without further delay.”

“The long border closures have devastated the economy of our border communities. Government’s announcement that it is deliberating at Cabinet about a possible opening of our land borders is long overdue. Let’s open the land borders now!” former President Mahama said.

He also called for the scrapping of the $50 mandatory COVID-19 test at the Kotoka International Airport

The Minority Caucus in Parliament had also earlier called on the government to open Ghana’s land borders to allow for the free movement of persons and goods.

President Nana AddoDankwaAkufo-Addo on March 22, 2020 announced the closure of the country’s land, sea and air borders as part of measures to reduce the importation of the dreaded coronavirus disease.

The air borders were opened on September 1, 2020, and subsequently the sea borders.

Despite several appeals to the government by lawmakers from the land border communities for the borders to be opened, the government has argued that opening the borders would lead to the importation of COVID-19 cases.