Features
Take politics out of the land border closures
The devastation and misery being caused to nations across the world by the deadly Corona Virus Disease (COVID) continue unabated in their worse forms. Available statistics by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that globally, the infection rate of the disease and the death toll in recent times have gone up astronomically.
More than 220 million confirmed cases with 4.5 million deaths have been recorded almost in 200 countries around the world and these figures keep rising daily. The United States of America (USA), India and Brazil, have seen the highest number of confirmed cases, followed by the United Kingdom (UK), Russia and France in that order.
GLOBAL STATISTICS OF COVID-19 SPREAD
Currently, the US has recorded 39,753,397 cases with 645,338 deaths, Brazil 20,890,779 with 583,628 deaths, India 33,027,621 with 440,752 deaths, Mexico 3,428,384 with 63,140 deaths and so on. The confirmed cases in Africa amounted to 7,075,119 which represent around 3.48 per cent of infections around the world.
As of August 8, 2021, South Africa was leading the chart with 2,533,466, Morocco 696,282, Tunisia 610,660, Egypt 284,706, Ethiopia 284,091, Libya 267,846, Kenya 211,828, Zambia 2000,049, Algeria 181,376, Nigeria 178,086. Latest figures indicate that Ghana has recorded 120,452 cases with 1,052 deaths so far.
With these global statistics staring us in the face,it means countries across the world are leaving no stone unturned to battle it out with the disease which is having a significant toll on their economies and affecting their gains made so far. Our country, Ghana, has got its share of the devastating effect of the disease on the economy making life unbearable for the majority of the people.
CLOSURE OF BORDERS TO MINIMISE SPREAD
When the disease first broke out in the country, the government had no option but to take far-reaching measures to minimise its introduction from other neighbouring countries into Ghana. As a step towards that direction, the country’s borders, land, air and sea, were closed to human traffic on March 22, 2020, to curb the spread of the disease. These closures did not apply to goods, supplies and cargo.
The aim of the closure, according to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was aimed at stopping the importation of the virus, contain its spread, provide adequate care for the sick, limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life and to inspire the expansion of the country’s domestic capability as well as deepening self-reliance.
After observing the situation on the ground, the President had to review the closure by re-opening the country’s air borders while that of the land and sea remained closed until further notice. The continued closure of the land borders has generated a lot of anxiety and controversy among people in the catchment areas. The citizens, mostly traders who live around the borders and ply their trade in and outside the borders complained that they had been denied their livelihood as a result of the border closures.
TRADERS AGITATIONS FOR RE-OPENING OF BORDERS
Recently, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro in the Western Region, Madam Dorcas Afo-Toffey, appealed to the President to consider the re-opening of the Elubo border, which serves as a gateway to Cote d’Ivoire to alleviate the hardships on the people living in nearby communities. The MP who joined the youth of Elubo to demonstrate against the continued closure of the border, said people had died and many more would die if nothing was done. “More people have died in the area due to hardships as a result of the border closure than COVID-19 pandemic. We are pleading with the government, President Akufo-Addo to intervene,” she said.
According to the MP, the motive behind the land border closure was to prevent the spread of the virus from other countries, but the deaths from hardships exceeded what COVID-19 would have caused. The people argue that trading across the border is their only source of livelihood, hence the continued closure of the border for more than a year now, was making life hard for them and their families and dependants.
Similar pressures have also been mounted on the government by traders at Aflao in the Ketu District of the Volta Region to open the border to Togo to allow them to carry out their daily business along the border. They complained that the border closure had seriously impacted negatively on their livelihood since they could not find any means to make ends meet apart from their trading within the catchment area. It is refreshing that in all these demonstrations lives were not lost as they went on peacefully and we commend the people for their maturity.
It is worthy of note that in both instances, the government has assured the traders that their petitions are receiving urgent attention and that the situations on the ground in both cases are being monitored for further action to be taken.
EFFECT OF THE DISEASE ON GHANAIANS
Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the livelihood of many Ghanaians including those living along the border towns to our neighbouring countries. The severity of the poor living conditions of the people is nothing good to write about ever since the disease started in the latter part of 2019. Apart from the negative impact on the economy, the disease had claimed a number of innocent lives some of whom were bread winners of their families. People have lost their jobs as a result of this deadly disease. It has resulted in an increase in the crime wave in this country as people are bent on doing anything possible to make a living.
However, the closure of the country’s borders to our neighbouring countries, has to a very large extent yielded a positive result as it has helped to minimise the spread of this deadly disease in our dear nation. The truth is that, if we had not taken that positive step to close our borders especially the land borders, the country would have been in a total mess by now; a lot of people would have lost their lives as a result of this deadly disease.
It is a fact that the people along the border towns are suffering as a result of the continued closure of our borders, but strictly speaking, it was a wise decision to be taken by the government to safeguard the lives of the majority of Ghanaians. What is now left, is for the government to find ways of helping the traders out of their predicament so that they can cater for their families and dependants and also alleviate their sufferings.
TAKING POLITICS OUT OF BORDER CLOSURES
For goodness sake, our politicians must refrain from capitalising on the situation to do cheap political propaganda by using the people to attack government because it has no merit whatsoever. Instead, they must assist and support the government with tangible suggestions and ideas that will go a long way to cushion the people from their difficulties and hardships they are currently facing. We need a constructive politics not a destructive and vile propaganda that will not help the course of development. It is quite unfortunate that the land borders still remain closed after more than a year.
ADHERING STRICTLY TO WHO SAFETY PROTOCOLS ON COVID-19
While we think about possible ways and solutions to ameliorate the plight of our traders in the border towns and villages, it is equally important for us to intensify the vaccination in the country particularly in these border areas as a major step towards minimising the spread of the disease. It is equally important for us as Ghanaians, to adhere strictly to the WHO safety protocols of regular handwashing and sanitising, wearing of face masks, observing our distance at designated places, such as churches, funeral grounds and social gatherings. Equally, people at the helm of affairs in this country must try to lead by example by abiding by the laid down restrictions regarding the disease. This country is not out of the woods yet when it comes to the eradication of the deadly COVID-19. The struggle still continues unabated!
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BY CHARLES NEEQUAYE
Attention-Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often mistaken for laziness or indiscipline. In consulting rooms across Accra and in reports from school teachers, the pattern repeats: children who are bright but forgetful, parents who feel helpless, teachers who see incompleteness.
Research is clear-Barkley (2015) and others describe ADHD as a difference in the brain’s regulation of alertness, impulse and working memory, not a lack of effort.
The family’s role begins with structure. Regular sleep, predictable meal and homework times, and a simple visual list (uniform → books → water → corridor) provide the external scaffolding of these children need. Praise what is completed—“You opened the book and wrote the first sentence”-instead of rebuking what is missing.
Schools can help by seating the child front-row and centre, giving short written plus verbal instructions, allowing brief movement breaks, using quiet nonverbal cues and, where possible, grading effort and method as well as neatness. These adjustments reduce conflict and raise submission rates without lowering standards.
Couples and caregivers should share roles: one grounds, one pivots, and both protect rest. Shame-“bad parenting, bad child”-needs replacing with fact: different wiring, needs scaffolding.
Outcomes improve not by promises of perfection but by daily routines, clear limits and warmed connection. One homework slot kept, one instruction chunked, one calm repair after blurting-these small wins shift the family climate and let the child be seen beyond the label.
Resource
• CPAC (award-winning Mental Health and Counselling Facility): 0559850604 / 0551428486
Source: REV. COUNSELLOR PRINCE OFFEI’s insights on special needs support, relationships, and mental health in Ghana. He is a leading mental health professional, lecturer, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, renowned author, and marriage counsellor at COUNSELLOR PRINCE & ASSOCIATES CONSULT (CPAC COUNSELLOR TRAINING INSTITUTE) – 0551428486 /0559850604.
WEBSITES:
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/author
https://princeoffei22.wixsite.com/website
After two weeks of hectic activity up north, I drove to the Tamale airport, parked the car at the Civil Aviation car park as usual, paid the usual parking fee and boarded the plane for Accra.
Over the last two weeks, I had shuffled between three sites where work was close to completion.
One was a seed warehouse, where farmers would come and pick up good quality maize, sorghum and other planting material.
The other was a health facility for new mothers, where they were given basic training on good nutrition and small scale business.
And the third was a set of big boreholes for three farming communities.
The projects usually ran on schedule, but a good deal of time was spent building rapport with the local people, to ensure that they would be well patronised and maintained.
It was great to be working in a situation where one’s work was well appreciated. But it certainly involved a lot of work, and proactivity. And I made sure that I recorded updates online before going to bed in the evening.
When the plane took off, my mind shifted to issues in Accra, the big city. The young guys at my office had done some good work. They had secured five or six houses on a row in a good part of the city, and were close to securing the last.
When we got this property, unusually, Abena greeted them casually, and appeared to be comfortable in the guy’s company.
I was quite disappointed to hear that, because until the last few weeks, it seemed as if Abena and I were heading in a good direction. Apart from the affection I had for her, I liked her family. I decided to take it easy, and allow things to fall in whatever direction.
Normally I would take a taxi to her house from the airport, and pick her up to my place. This time I went to my sisters’ joint, where they sat by me while I enjoyed a drink and a good meal.
“So Little Brother,” Sister Beesiwa said, “what is it we are hearing about our wife-to-be?”
“When did you conclude that she was your wife-to-be? And what have you heard? I’ve only heard a couple of whispers. Ebo and Nana Kwame called to say that they have seen her in the company of—”
“Well said Little Brother,” Sister Baaba said. “By the way, Nana Kwame called an hour ago to ask if you had arrived because he could not reach you. Someone had told him that Jennifer had boasted to someone that she had connected Abena to a wealthy guy who would take care of her.”
I was beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.
“In that case,” Sister Beesiwa said, “you should be glad that Abena is out of your way. She is easily swayed. Anyone who would make a relationship decision based on a friend’s instigation lacks good sense. I hope the guy is as wealthy as they say?”
“Who gets wealthy running a supermarket chain in Ghana?” Sister Baaba said. “Our supermarkets sell mostly imported products. Look at the foreign exchange rate. And remember that Ghanaians buy second-hand shoes and clothes. Supermarkets are not good business here. Perhaps they are showing off that they are wealthy, but in reality they are not doing so well.”
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. So I think Jennifer fed her with false stories about me in order to get her to move to the Ampadu guy. Jennifer must have been well compensated for her efforts.”
She said that David Forson was only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her. And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“Amen to that,” I said. “I’m beginning to understand. For some time, Abena had been asking me what work I was doing up north, and after I had explained it to her, she kept asking. We would be able to sell all five houses to one big corporate customer, and we had already spoken to a property dealer who was trying to find a buyer in order to get a good commission.
That was going to be my biggest break. I had asked the boys to look for a large tract of land on the outskirts of the city where we could develop our own set of buildings, blocks of storey houses and upscale apartments. Things were going according to plan, and I was quietly excited. However, things were not going so well regarding my relationship with Abena.
My buddies Ebo and Nana Kwame had called to say that they met Abena and her friend Jennifer enjoying lunch with a guy, and Ebo believed that Jennifer was ‘promoting’ an affair between Jennifer and the guy. They were of the view that the promotion seemed to be going in the guy’s favour, because only an agricultural extension worker in the north who did not have the resources to take care of a beautiful girl like her.
And apart from being wealthy, the guy comes from an influential family, so Abena had done much better leaving a miserable civil servant like you for him.
“As I’ve already said, I will stop by her place, but I will mind my own business from now. Hey, let’s talk family. How are our parents? And my brothers-in-law? And my nephews and nieces? Why don’t we meet on Sunday? I’m going to drop my bags at my place, and go to see Mama and Dad.”
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