*Ghana’s economy is struggling to rebound from the damaging impact of the Coronavirus pandemic amid a heavy public debt load

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Two years after the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the West African country, Ghana Monday, March 28, 2022, reopened its land and sea borders the authorities earlier shut in the wake of Coronavirus restrictions to revamp its flagging economy.

ConsumerConnect learnt President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana had announced in a televised address Sunday night that the wearing of nose masks in the former Gold Coast  is no longer mandatory as active COVID-19 cases have dropped below 100 in the country.

President Afuko-Addo subsequently, announced that outdoor functions could resume at full capacity as long as all persons are fully vaccinated against the damaging virus.

The President also said: “From Monday, fully vaccinated travellers will no longer have to take Covid tests to enter the country.

“It has been a difficult two years for all of us, and we are seeing light at the end of a very long tunnel.

“I appeal to all of us to live responsibly, protect ourselves at all times.”

Ghanaians hail government’s decision to stop masks mandate

Meanwhile, agency report indicates that some Ghanaians living in border communities who usually trade with neighbours in Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Togo have applauded the Ghanaian Government’s decision.

The measure it will bring life back to their areas, the residents were quoted to have said.

Joseph Mintah, a father of four from Elubo, a border town in western Ghana, told AFP: “I have lost my business. Before the closure of the border I used to trade with some Ivorians.

“Now I have no option than come to Accra to look for job. I’ll be returning after this.”

Beatrice Konadu also in a telephone chat from Aflao on the border with Togo said her business selling cosmetics and customised slippers over the border in Togo and Burkina Faso had also collapsed.

“It has been tough for me,” telephone from Aflao on the border with Togo.

“The president’s announcement comes as a great news, but it has been long overdue.”

Ghana Health Service disclosed that the country Ghana so far had vaccinated 13 million people with a dose and five million — 16 percent of the population — have been fully vaccinated.

The West African country’s economy is struggling to rebound from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, and with a heavy public debt load, report stated.

Recent data published by the Bank of Ghana showed the country’s debt to GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ratio was 80.1 percent at the end of December 2021.

Cost of living recently shot up with rising fuel prices, as it is case in Nigeria, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Ghanaian President and his ministers recently cut their wages by 30 percent along with other measures they hope will help generate $400 million in savings for state coffers, according to report.

The West African bloc ECOWAS as well agreed to re-open land borders around January 2022, after noting the group’s economies lost $50billion or 6.7 percent of their cumulative GDP between 2020 and 2021.