COVID-19: Sarkodie begs Prez Akufo-Addo to open borders

Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has implored President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to open Ghana’s national borders for at least a day to enable citizens stuck outside the country to return home.

The multiple-award-winning rapper in a tweet lauded the President for his management of Ghana’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He posted: “Mr president @NAkufoAddo you’ve done so well with how you handling this pandemic, we appreciate your effort 🙏🏿 But please can we open the borders for at least a day or two in between time for citizens stuck outside to get back pls 🙏🏿”.

The BET award winner is among some Ghanaian musicians who were outside the country when the borders were first closed. Others are D-Black and Pappy Kojo.

Ghana’s air, sea and land borders were closed on Sunday, March 22, 2020, following an order by President Akufo-Addo as part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Addressing the nation in a televised broadcast, the President said the country’s borders will remain closed for two more weeks beginning Monday, April 20.

The President in his address explained that this is because the majority of confirmed COVID-19 cases have come from travellers or from people who have come into contact with travellers.

"It is, therefore, incumbent on us to continue to be vigilant about travelers into our country until further notice, and to congratulate the men and women of the Immigration Service and the Marine Police Unit for their work in securing our borders, he said".

"The arrest of ten West African nationals in Tamale who all tested positive for the virus; the arrest of the six Nigerian travellers who entered Ghana through unapproved routes along the Ghana-Togo border near Aflao, who also tested positive for the virus; and the recent arrest of ten fishermen in the Western Region, who returned from Cote d’ivoire and have been quarantined, testify to the determination of our security services to protect our borders. I have, thus, signed an Executive Instrument, to extend the closure of our borders for two more weeks, beginning Monday, 20th April".