Over 4,000 citizens of Burkina Faso, as well as some Ghanaians living in the neighboring country, have fled into Ghana seeking refuge due to the recent wave of attacks by suspected terrorists and militants. This has resulted in a significant influx of refugees, primarily women and children, into the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana.
The communities in the Bawku West District that are currently housing these refugees are Adasiga, Soogo, Agoogo, Kperigu, Kperigzousi in the Soogo Electoral Area, and Natinga, Googo, Weari, Kanlesi, and Fulbes in the Widnaba Electoral Area. According to reports, over 1,000 refugees are residing in the Soogo Electoral Area, 1,773 are living in the Widnaba area, and 1,325 are staying in the Akasooga Electoral Area.
The sudden influx of refugees has put a strain on the food and social amenities in the area, causing concern for local residents. The Assembly Member for the Soogo Electoral Area, Atampuri Osben Asaki, has expressed the urgency of the situation and highlighted the challenge of accommodating the refugees, with many forced to live with local community members. Those who cannot be housed with locals are sleeping in uncompleted buildings or makeshift structures, and some children, including newborns and nursing mothers, are even sleeping in the open air due to a lack of housing options.
Despite the challenges, the Catholic Relief Services has stepped in to provide assistance, donating food and non-food items worth GH¢1.3 million to the refugees. The Bawku Naba has also made a donation of food items and clothing to the asylum seekers. In addition, the Upper East Regional Security Council is monitoring the security situation in the border communities and working to prevent the terrorists from crossing into Ghana.
It is important to note that this is not the first time refugees from Burkina Faso have sought refuge in Ghana. In June 2022, over 1,872 refugees, including Ghanaians, fled to Ghana due to terrorist attacks by militants against local militia in Burkina Faso. This latest wave of refugees highlights the ongoing conflict in the region and the need for a comprehensive solution to address the root causes of the violence.
