JUST IN: Burkina Faso Stops NADMO From Assisting Ghanaian Refugees

 

Efforts by Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to deliver relief items to citizens displaced by the recent conflict in Gbeniyiri have been halted by authorities in Burkina Faso.

Over 5,600 people fled across the border into Kpere, Burkina Faso, following violent clashes in the Savannah Region of Ghana. A team led by the Savannah Regional NADMO Director, Mahama Zackaria, travelled to the area with emergency supplies, but was reportedly blocked from reaching the refugees.

According to reports, the Burkinabe authorities prevented the team from interacting with the displaced persons or distributing the aid. “We travelled to Kpere where some of our people had fled, but unfortunately, we were not allowed to meet them. We saw them from a distance but couldn’t speak to them or hand over the relief items,” Mr. Zackaria stated.

Burkina Faso’s officials reportedly insisted on a formal arrangement between the two governments before permitting any cross-border humanitarian intervention. Mr. Zackaria noted that their counterparts cited previous engagements with Côte d’Ivoire as a precedent, explaining that without an official diplomatic protocol, aid distribution would not be permitted.

In light of the restriction, the NADMO team returned to Ghana and redirected the relief items to vulnerable communities within the Bole District, which have also been affected by the Gbeniyiri conflict. The redirected support has so far reached residents in Saru, Dirbir, Kalba, Gbeniyiri, Nakpala, and Dagbabu.

The Gbeniyiri conflict has left several people dead and displaced hundreds, prompting urgent calls for humanitarian assistance and cross-border cooperation. With diplomatic channels yet to be fully activated, thousands of displaced Ghanaians remain in limbo across the border, awaiting support.

Authorities in Ghana have yet to officially respond to Burkina Faso’s demand for government-to-government engagement.

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