The Minister for the Interior, Mr. Ambrose Dery has admonished citizens to be vigilant and report foreigners and strangers in their communities to the appropriate authorities even as they exhibit the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality towards them.
This according to the Minister was for their own safety and security.
The Minister made the appeal during a familiarization tour to the Upper East region on Tuesday, June 4, 2019 to visit the hot spots as well as talk to essential stakeholders such as the Regional Security Council and District Regional Security Council on heighten security resulting from the deteriorating situation in Burkina Faso.
It was also to apprise himself with measures deployed by the security agencies to ensure internal peace whilst keeping out external threats that may arise from the situation in Burkina Faso.
In his interaction with the Regional and Bawku West District Security Councils on separate instances, the Minister applauded the admirable collaboration between the various agencies that make up the council in keeping the Upper East peaceful
He, on behalf of His Excellency President Akufo-Addo’s, expressed appreciation to the security agencies for their dedication to work and assured of government’s resolve to providing them with the needed resources.
Mr. Ambrose Dery, reiterated the President’s commitment to ensuring that Ghana’s status as an oasis of peace in the sub-region was enhanced by guaranteeing that all Ghanaians and for the matter citizens feel safe.
Accompanied by the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Frank Fuseini Adongo, Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Mr. Kwame Asua Takyi, Deputy Inspector of General of Police, COP Oppong-Boanuh, the District Chief Executive of Bawku West, Madam Victoria Ayamba and other officials, the team visited Widnaaba, Bougo and Zebila where he interacted with personnel from the Police Service, Army and Ghana Immigration Service.
At Widnaaba, one of the communities hosting asylum seekers fleeing the chieftaincy dispute in Zuaga, Burkina Faso, the Minister charged them to abide by the laws of the country and report any suspicious persons amongst them to the host chief or security agencies.
He assured them of government’s readiness to ensure their safety in addition to providing them with some basic necessities.
Madam Victoria Ayamba, District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Bawku West District who is also the Chairperson for the District Security Committee expressed appreciation the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Red Cross and the Member of Parliament for Zebila for supporting the asylum seekers with some relief items.
She mentioned that but for those reliefs and support, the situation would have been worse and appealed for more support from the World Food Organisations (WHO), Action-Aid- Ghana, World Vision International-Ghana among others to support the Assembly to manage the situation.
Background.
In February, 2019, it was reported that about 200 Burkinabes fleeing a chieftaincy conflict had arrived from Zoaga-Zabre in the Northern Province of Burkina into Ghana to seek refuge.
They entered Ghana through the northwestern route to widnaaba, Tilli and Soogo communities in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region posing some humanitarian as well as security challenges that needed attention.
