Personnel of the various security agencies at the border town of Nyive in the Ho Municipality on Tuesday impounded a mini cargo truck loaded with 46 bags of fertiliser and other items on the frontier.

The security personnel were suspicious of the truck with a Togolese registration number, BA 0619, which was parked and was facing the Togo direction after sunset.

 It was impounded in the joint operation by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

Senior Revenue Officer (SRO) William Allotey, Officer in-charge of the Customs Division of the GRA Nyive Border Station, said that the Nyive Assemblyman, Mr Percival Komla Kpodo also played a major role in the operation.

The labels on the fertilisers indicated that they were meant for the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ programme.

He said that the driver, Yao Dormle, 52 and his mate Komlavi Agoende, 51, were arrested together with another man, Humanor Tsenuo, 39, who claimed ownership of the drinks and medications.

SRO Allotey said that the suspects, all Togolese, were handed over to the nearby Tokokoe Police Station.

The driver later told this reporter at the Tokokoe Police Station that he was only contracted by a trader to convey the bags of fertiliser to Togo but could not disclose the identity of the trader, saying he fled before the security personnel arrived at the scene.

The MCE, Mr Prosper Pi-Bansa, who was at Nyive on Wednesday to ascertain the facts, said that the country’s frontiers were still closed, and warned that anyone who flouted the closure would suffer swift and ruthless consequences.

From Alberto Mario Noretti, Nyive