President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana has appealed to Nigerian President, Muhammadu  Buhari to open the country’s borders. This was disclosed by Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity.

Akufo-Addo said he was making the request because the Nigerian market is significant for certain categories of business people in Ghana.

The Ghanaian President made his appeal on Monday when both presidents held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the UK-Africa Investment Summit 2020 in London.

Femi Adesina quoted the President as saying he could not allow the nation’s youths to be destroyed by drugs and that he would not compromise security caused by unbridled influx of small arms.

“When most of the vehicles carrying rice and other food items through our land borders are intercepted, you find cheap hard drugs and small arms under the food items. This has terrible consequences for any country,” President Buhari said.

He regretted that the partial border closure was having “negative economic impact on our neighbours,” but added that “we cannot leave our country, particularly the youth, endangered”.

Buhari said the borders would not be re-opened until the final report of a committee set up on the matter is submitted and scrutinized.

“We will get things sorted out. Our farmers, especially those who grow rice, now have a market, and are happy, and we are also concerned about hard drugs and weapons. Once the committee comes up with its recommendations, we will sit and consider them,” he said.