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.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Political Science Education, Faculty of
Social Sciences Education, submitted to the school of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirement for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Political Science Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba.
