Covid-19 border closure effects on livelihood in Ghana. A study of Bole district in the Savannah Region.

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19 border closure on the livelihoods of individuals residing in the Bole District of the Savannah Region in Ghana. This study utilised a qualitative research design and selected 54 participants using a purposeful sampling method. The data collection process involved conducting interviews and focus group discussions (FGD). It highlights the importance of personal connections, cultural exchanges, and economic interdependence in shaping relationships between border communities while also revealing how pandemics and border closures can disrupt these dynamics, emphasising the need for nuanced border management during crises. Furthermore, this study underscores the significant economic disruptions caused by COVID-19 border closure, affecting businesses, traders, and individuals, leading to reduced income and financial instability, and emphasises the importance of resilience and adaptive financial strategies during such crises. The findings also emphasise the role of cross-border trade in sustaining border communities' livelihoods and highlight coping strategies during crises, government support in economic shocks, and the long-lasting effects of pandemics, border closures, and economic crises on communities and businesses, emphasising the importance of resilience and strategic planning. The study concludes that COVID-19 border closure disrupted the interconnected social, economic, and cultural lives of border communities, worsening poverty, food insecurity, and limited education access, while highlighting their resilience and the need for government support and strategic interventions for long-term recovery. Governments of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, along with international organizations and district assemblies, should establish cross-border crisis management protocols, enhance trade infrastructure, and implement equitable post-COVID-19 policies to ensure coordinated responses, sustainable economic growth, and social justice.