Ghana’s Ex-president, Mahama, Appeals To Nigerian Government To Open Up Borders

Mr John Mahama, former President of Ghana on Tuesday appealed to the Nigeria Government to open up her border so that economic activities can resume in West Africa.

 

Mahama made the plea while delivering the 7th anniversary lecture, investiture into the Realnews Hall of Fame and the unveiling of the book, Pathways to Political and Economic Development of Africa, in Lagos.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria reports the title of the lecture is `Beyond Politics: An Economic Narrative for West Africa.’

 

He said that the total closure of, especially, the Benin Republic border was having a significant toll on many small and medium businesses especially in Togo, Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire that relied on inter-country trade.

 

“I am sure that businesses in Nigeria that rely on supplies from these countries are also suffering.

 

“With the signing of the joint border task force agreement between Nigeria and her neighbours, I will like to take this opportunity to appeal to Nigeria to open up her border so that economic activities can resume,” he said.

 

Mahama said as a former chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa States, and Authority of Heads of State and Government, he had an abiding interest in the progress of ECOWAS and its people.

 

He noted that it was not by accident that Nigeria was home to the headquarters of the ECOWAS and the largest economy in West Africa.