Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister, has urged the Commissioner of Immigration at the Elubo border to take immediate steps to prevent a potential disaster. It has come to light that trucks carrying explosives often park at the Elubo border for days while they wait for the necessary paperwork to cross into Côte d’Ivoire.
The Elubo border is a crucial crossing point and trade hub between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, located in the Jomoro District of Ghana’s Western Region. It plays an important role in trade along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor. However, this key border has been struggling with issues like a lack of staff, inadequate security, and smuggling through unofficial routes. Efforts are underway to improve the situation by creating a One-Stop Border Post.
One serious concern, noted by Joshua Krakue, the Deputy Commissioner of Immigration at Elubo, is the unsafe practice of allowing trucks with explosives to park in Elubo town while waiting for their documents to be processed. He described this situation as very alarming.
“Whenever these trucks arrive with explosives, which mostly come through our ports, we need to thoroughly check their paperwork. Handling explosives is complex and takes longer than it does for normal cargo. Meanwhile, these trucks are parked in town, right next to other vehicles waiting to cross the border, posing a significant danger,” he said.
Krakue also mentioned that erosion is threatening the bridge near the border, making it unsafe. Visitors entering the Ghana side of the border encounter large potholes and heavy traffic caused by long trucks.
He pointed out that all border agencies are currently using temporary container offices because there have been no permanent buildings established since the border opened.
Reflecting on a tragic explosion that occurred in Appiate four years ago, Minister Joseph Nelson stressed that this situation needs to be addressed immediately to prevent any further incidents that could endanger lives and property.
