Harassment and extortion by Ivorian security agencies on the Big Assinnie/New Town road near Half Assini has slowed down movement of people and goods from Cote d’Ivoire to Ghana.

This has affected revenue generation by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) branch at the New Town border.

Mr Bruce Wampalah, an official of the Division and Mr Martin Anohomah, Station Master of New Town branch PROTOA made this known at separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency.

Mr Wampalah said last year his outfit was collecting duties on over 50 drums of coconut oil a week but this has reduced to 15 drums since the arrival of security officers from Cote d’Ivoire this year.

Mr Anohomah, the Station Master, said throughout last year over 13 vehicles could be loaded to Accra, Takoradi and Kumasi daily but this had come down to one vehicle to each of the three destinations.

He said the security officers in four groups are heavily armed and had mounted tents on the 25-kilometre road and collect 1,000 CFA francs from every non-Ivorian citizen at each point before allowing them cross to Ghana.

Mr Anohomah said those unable to pay are made to return to where they were coming from and this had compelled most travellers to resort to using other routes to Ghana