Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has disclosed that more than 8,000 displaced Ghanaians have returned home following the violent clashes in Gbinyiri in the Savannah Region near the borders with Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.
However, 5,309 citizens remain in Côte d’Ivoire, while 1,455 are still sheltering in Burkina Faso.
Addressing the media during Government Accountability series at the Presidency on Monday, September 15, after a three-day working visit to Côte d’Ivoire, Hon. Ablakwa expressed government’s “deep concern” over the tragic clashes which led to loss of lives and displacement across the sub-region.
He noted that President John Dramani Mahama had directed Ghana’s embassies in Abidjan and Ouagadougou to collaborate closely with Ivorian and Burkinabe authorities to extend urgent consular support.
“During my visit, I discovered that about 8,000 Ghanaians have safely returned home. The latest census conducted revealed that those left outside our jurisdiction are 5,309,” the Minister confirmed.
Hon. Ablakwa said he personally conveyed a special message from President Mahama to the displaced communities in the Bounkani region of Côte d’Ivoire, where 13,253 Ghanaians initially sought refuge at the peak of the crisis.
“The message from the President was one of peace and forgiveness, appealing to our compatriots to return home, since government has beefed up security and ensured that normalcy is restored,” he explained.
On behalf of the President, he also presented a donation of 6 million CFA francs to support urgent humanitarian needs and logistical arrangements for the repatriation of stranded Ghanaians.
This, he said, was in addition to relief items such as food, water, blankets and medicines already distributed through NADMO.
In Burkina Faso, Hon. Ablakwa met with Foreign Minister Hon. Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore to discuss the welfare of Ghanaians who fled to the Kpuere area in the south-western region of that country.
Current figures show that refugee numbers there have reduced from 2,500 at the height of the conflict to 1,455.
“The Burkinabe Foreign Minister expressed pleasant satisfaction at the trend of Ghanaian refugees returning home,” Hon. Ablakwa noted, assuring that Accra will continue to work with its neighbours to ensure the safe return of all citizens.
Reiterating government’s position, the Minister declared “My Ministry remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the welfare of Ghanaian citizens abroad. No Ghanaian in distress anywhere in the world would be ignored by the Mahama Administration.”
He also praised the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso for their cooperation, describing the situation as a reminder of the need for stronger African solidarity.
Hon. Ablakwa revealed that his Ivorian and Burkinabe counterparts acknowledged Ghana’s longstanding role as a safe haven for refugees from across the continent.
“They were keen to stress that Ghana has always provided shelter to refugees from Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Niger and many other countries. They were therefore more than happy to return the favour, even if on a much smaller scale. Long live African solidarity,” he concluded.
