Govt dismisses claims of militants using Northern Ghana as support base

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The government has strongly denied reports that Islamist militants from Burkina Faso are using parts of northern Ghana as covert bases for logistical and medical support.

This rebuttal follows a recent report suggesting that Ghanaian territory was being leveraged by militants operating in Burkina Faso to sustain their insurgency.

Addressing these claims on Friday, October 25, 2024, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, the government spokesperson on security matters, dismissed the allegations as unfounded and emphasized that cross-border activities between Ghana and Burkina Faso are primarily trade-focused and legitimate.

Boakye-Danquah added that the Ghanaian government remains vigilant, coordinating closely with security agencies to monitor any potential threats and to ensure the country’s northern border regions remain secure.

He reiterated that the government’s priority is to uphold the stability and safety of its citizens, dismissing the claims as unverified and lacking substantive evidence.

“I want to put out very clearly that the Reuters story is misleading… We have people who travel from Burkina Faso to come into Ghana, either to do trade or to pick up things from the harbour. So, there are instances where often times they are not able to hire trucks and the trucks are charging very huge amounts from the government in Burkina Faso.

“You find that they will use official vehicles of that nature. We allow them to be able to come in and pick up whatever they need at the port and send it back into their country. So, the story is not what it is, it is misrepresenting,” he stated.