Akufo-Addo extends closure of Ghana’s borders by one month

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has extended the closure of the country’s borders by one month. The extension takes effect Monday, May 4, 2020, at 1 am.

The president announced the virtual May Day celebrations on Friday, May 1, 2020. The government says the border closure order is to ensure that there is no risk of importation of COVID-19 into the country.

The President in making the announcement said, these restrictions cannot and will not be a permanent feature of our lives but they are for now essential for “our survival.”

“With the suspension of all public gatherings still in force and our schools still closed, the government has taken the decision to extend further the closure of borders for a month effective 1 am of 4th May until Sunday, the 31st of May, 2020. We know that the overwhelming majority of positive cases came from travelers or contacts of travelers so we have no option than to keep our borders closed until we are confident that we have put in place measures to prevent travelers from importing the virus.”

“These restrictions cannot and will not be a permanent feature of our lives but they are for now essential for our survival,” the President announced.

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 stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The border closure, however, does not affect apply to goods, supplies, and cargo.

Ghana has 2,074 confirmed cases of the disease as of April 30, 2020, with 17 deaths and 212 recoveries.

Regional breakdown of cases

• Greater Accra Region – 1,795
• Ashanti Region – 99
• Eastern Region – 70
• Central Region – 21
• Oti Region – 19
• Upper East Region – 19
• Volta Region – 16
• Northern Region – 13
• Upper West Region – 10
• Western Region – 9
• North East Region – 2
• Western North Region – 1