1.
GV GHANA & TOGO BORDER CHECKPOINT AT AFTAO
0.05

2.
CU SIGN 'GHANA IMMIGRATION OFFICE' PAN DOWN TO 2 NIGERIANS NOT PERMITTED TO CROSS BORDER INTO TOGO (2 SHOTS)
0.24

3.
MV GHANA POLICE, MAN AND WOMAN
0.29

4.
LV OVER FRONTIER TO TOGO
0.34

5.
SV BARRIER ON TOGO SIDE, GUARD PATROLLING (2 SHOTS)
0.48

6.
GV SIGN AT BORDER 'YOU ARE NOW LEAVING GHANA' PAN ACROSS INTO TOGO TERRITORY
0.54



Initials WB/S/CR/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE TOGO SIDE OF THE BORDER WITH GHANA REMAINED CLOSED YESTERDAY (MONDAY) DESPITE THE OPENING, TWO WEEKS AGO, OF THE GHANAIAN SIDE; ONLY MOTOR VEHICLES BEARING DIPLOMATIC CORPS MARKINGS WERE PERMITTED TO CROSS.

THE BORDER WAS CLOSED BY THE TOGO GOVERNMENT FOLLOWING A SERIES OF INCIDENTS - INCLUDING THE FATAL SHOOTING OF A TOGO CUSTOMS OFFICIAL - FOR WHICH THE TOGO PRESIDENT NICHOLAS GRUNTIZKY HAD ASKED FOR A SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION.AND HE HAS DESCRIBED THE SITUATION AS "EXTREMELY GRAVE".

THE BORDER WAS LAST DUE TO BE OPENED IN MID-JANUARY, BUT WAS THEN CANCELLED BY TOGO AUTHORITIES, WHO INDICATED THEIR INTENTION OF BRINGING THE INCIDENTS TO THE NOTICE OF THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY.GHANA, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAD DEMANDED THE EXTRADITION OF GHANAIAN REFUGEES IN TOGO, SOME OF WHOM WERE ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN ATTEMPTS TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT NKRUMAH.

AFTAO IS THE LAST VILLAGE INSIDE GHANA AND THE CROSSING LEDS ON TO THE TOGO CAPITAL, LOME.FOR THREE DAYS TWO NIGERIANS HAD BEEN WAITING FOR THE TOGO GOVERNMENT TO OPEN ITS BORDER: THEIR WAIT WAS IN VAIN.