Ghana's Ambassador To Burkina Faso Denies Mahama's 'Diplomatic Tension' Claim
- Ghana's Ambassador to Burkina Faso has debunked John Mahama's claims that the relationship between Ghana and Burkina Faso has soured
- He said John Mahama's claim that Akufo-Addo's comment on the Burkina Faso situation had caused diplomatic tension is false
- According to him, the two heads of state are cordial and on good terms, and reports of tension should be ignored
Ghana’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Boniface Gambila, has refuted claims that Ghana and Burkina Faso’s relationship is strained.
He was reacting to comments passed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Mahama, on his campaign trail, suggesting that the country’s relationship with Burkina Faso has hit a snag.
Source: Getty Images
According to John Mahama, President Akufo-Addo’s comments about the happenings in Burkina Faso and the junta’s dealings with the Wagner Group to the US government have adversely affected the countries’ relationship.
He said the unnecessary comment had caused diplomatic tension between the two countries, and his future government would have to travel to Burkina Faso to repair the broken relationship.
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However, Boniface Gambila said there is no such tension between the two countries.
He told JoyNews that the former president’s statement was unfounded and totally unnecessary.
He said Burkina Faso, despite Akufo-Addo’s comments’ has continued to cooperate with Ghana.
He revealed that the Burkina Faso Border Commission just recently ended an exercise it carried out with the Ghana Border Commission, and there are plans for future engagements.
Ambassador Gambila also stated that Burkina Faso’s top police are in Accra, and Ghana is “exchanging knowledge and learning” with them.
He said this was proof that Ghana and Burkina Faso did not have a strained relationship and that both heads of state were cordial.
He advised former president Mahama to focus on his political campaign rather than foraying into diplomatic relations.
He said Ghanaians expect the NDC flagbearer to prove his competence to them and not engage in commentary that could damage diplomatic relations.
Akufo-Addo urges engagement with Sahelian States
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has warned that the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) could spell doom for the Accra Initiative.
The Accra Initiative is a regional security arrangement aimed at preventing the spillover of terrorism from the Sahel and addressing transnational organised crime and violent extremism in member countries’ border areas.
Speaking at the High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria, President Akufo-Addo said the withdrawal of the three Sahelian states would adversely impact cohesion within the Initiative.
He said if the Sahelian states are not brought back into the fold, it could lead to an escalation of violent extremism in the region, threatening the relative peace coastal states, in particular, have been enjoying.
Mahama debunks guinea fowl claims
YEN.com.gh reported that the National Democratic Congress flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, had debunked claims that guinea fowl reared under the SADA programme flew to Burkina Faso.
He blamed the media for reporting unverified information and presenting it as facts.
He explained that the programme was meant to distribute hatchlings to local farmers and not rear guinea fowl to maturity.
Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
