The Ghanaian Times today reported that so far 1,089 foreign nationals who entered Ghana through unapproved routes have been intercepted and repatriated by the Ghana Immigration Service in the Bono Region.

The foreigners, made up of 240 Burkinabes, 506 Togolese, 224 Ivorians, 50 Guineans, 30 Nigerians, 30 Nigerians and nine Malians, were arrested between March 31 and the second week of May this year.

Among this number was the Bono Region’s first COVID-19 case recorded on March 20, 2020.

This clearly shows that illegal border-crossing during the pandemic increased the risk of importing COVID-19 cases into the country and therefore the foreign nationals, who are mostly farm hands entering the country despite the border closure through illegal routes, must be stopped.

Most of these foreigners, our reporter says, are able to enter the country through the support of their Ghanaian counterparts resident at the border who aid them with the use of motorbikes and bicycles.