Managing Director of Intercity STC Coaches Limited, formerly State Transport Company (STC), Nana Akomea has blamed the continues loss of revenue for the company, on the Coronavirus-induced border closure in Ghana.
Ghana’s land borders remain shut, seven months on after they were initially closed on March 22 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Commenting on the adverse impact of the policy on the operations of STC, Mr. Akomea said they have been losing about 50 percent of their monthly revenue, because of the company’s inability to transport goods and persons to and from its neighbouring countries.
“This year 2020 has been a very difficult year for the country and STC has suffered a lot. The closure of the borders with our neighbouring countries has cost us 50 percent of or revenue as our operations in Abidjan, Lomé, Cotonou, Ouagadougou, which gave us 50% of our revenue has been shut off by the border closures. It has cut our monthly revenue from GHS5 million on the average to GHC 2.3 – GHC 2.4 million today as I speak.”
Mr. Akomea was speaking after the President commissioned 100 new buses for the company.
Ghana closed all its land, air and sea borders from midnight on Sunday, March 22 to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The border closure was to last for two weeks but was subsequently extended.
Although the air borders were opened on September 1, 2020, government is yet to open the land and sea borders.