Border closure leaves many stranded at Aflao

Aflao, Dec. 6, GNA - Hundreds of people of different nationalities and scores of vehicles are stranded at Aflao following the closure the Ghana side of the Ghana-Togo frontier early Saturday morning. Armed military personnel have been deployed at the frontier with some patrolling the main streets of the town.

National Security sources who spoke to the Ghana News Agency cited tomorrow, Sunday December 7's elections as reason for the closure. They said the closure was also to free scores of frontier security personnel to be on duty at polling stations on Sunday. When the GNA visited the frontier on Saturday morning many of those stranded loitered in and around the border and beaches on either side. The stranded both Ghanaians and foreigners said the Ghana government should have given notice of its intention to close the border to enable commuters plan their movements.

The situation has dulled the usually bustling commercial life of Aflao, with the weekend herbal market that normally attracts customers from Lome-Togo being the hardest hit.

Mr Isaac Desmond Abbey, Chief Collector of CEPS, who is second in command at the Aflao Collection appealed to those stranded to bear with the government in the national interest.