Gbenyiri Conflict: Ghana's Foreign Minister Donates Over GH¢130k to Ghanaians in Ivory Coast

• The Foreign Affairs Minister has visited a group of Ghanaians who fled to the Ivory Coast due to the Gbenyiri conflict
• Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa donated over GH¢130,000 to support affected refugees and urged them to return home
• The minister assured them of President Mahama’s commitment to restoring peace and improving security in the area

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has visited the distressed Ghanaians who fled to the Ivory Coast as a result of the Gbenyiri conflict in the Savanna Region.

The minister paid a visit to assess the living conditions of his fellow countrymen and women who were forced to flee their homes to the neighbouring West African country due to the land dispute.

As part of the visit, Okudzeto Ablakwa donated CFA6 million (approximately GH¢130,938.48) to the affected Ghanaians.

The gesture, he said, aims to alleviate the hardships faced by Ghanaian nationals in Yvankoro, a region affected by tensions.

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While presenting the cash, the minister, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for North Tongu in the Volta Region, assured them of President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to restoring peace in Gbenyiri.

He further stated that over 8,000 refugees have returned home, urging the remaining 5,000 to do the same.

"A corrected census indicates that your number has reduced to about 5,309. So, that means that more than half have returned. We want to encourage all of you to return. President Mahama, as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, has put in place a number of measures; there has been massive security deployment, camps have been established, committees have been set up to mediate between the traditional leaders and all sides, and calm has been restored," he said.

"I'm here to deliver a message to you from the president that it's time to go back, don't be scared, there will be adequate security, and you will be safe. So, we encourage you to go back. You will observe that your colleagues who returned home are okay, they are safe, and they have not had to rush back here. So, that should give you confirmation, if you have any doubt that the situation has been resolved," he said.

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Reactions to Ablakwa's visit to Ivory Coast

The Foreign Affairs Minister's visit to the Ivory Coast has sparked mixed reactions on social media.

YEN.com.gh compiled a few of the reactions below:

@Villa Sortee Samuel said:

"Easy calm now but we expect the president to set up a committee of inquiry to investigate the immediate and remote cause of what happened. The current committee is a mediation one for immediate calm and it is not the same as a committee of inquiry for the two will have different mandates."

@AFLAO WE DEY also said:

"Interior Minister quoted a different figure ooo, he said less than 400 individuals are left to return."

@Abucourteous Fidel commented:

"Great news, we are grateful peace has been restored."

Security analyst gives updates on Gbenyiri conflict

In a related development, YEN.com.gh also reported that Mohammed Kataba, a security analyst, outlined some priority areas as the Ghanaian government begins mediation efforts in the Gbiniyiri land dispute.

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The violence in the region of the country claimed 31 lives and displaced thousands around 12 communities in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, with many people crossing over into neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh