Officials from Ghana and Burkina Faso have embarked on a joint inspection of border pillars along their shared boundary in a move to tackle longstanding issues of encroachment and reinforce border delineation.
The buffer zone, located in Paga in the Upper East Region of Ghana and Dakola in the Burkina Faso side designated to promote security and environmental conservation, has faced challenges in recent years due to encroachment by private and commercial developers from both sides of the country.
Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Major General Emmanuel Kotia who led the team from Ghana lamented the “massive encroachment” distorts the international boundary pillars, and tasked district assemblies to meet with the Burkina Faso counterparts to immediately stop all encroachments.
“The other thing is that on the Ghana side, we’ve decided that any building that is engulfing the boundary pillars should be discontinued immediately. Going forward, we will be taking a decision on what to do to permanently preserve the buffer zone that demarcates the international boundary pillars,” Major General Kotia said.
While entreating the Ghana Immigration Service to continue vigorous patrols to protect the international border pillars, the Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission entreated community members to report to the appropriate authorities on suspicion of encroachment.
He disclosed a major meeting that is expected to take place in Bolgatanga between May 13 and 19 to make decisions towards finding lasting solutions to the issue of encroachment on the buffer zone.
Salamatu Dabal, Permanent Secretary of the National Boundary Commission of Burkina Faso on behalf of her country, pledged to collaborate with the Ghanaian counterparts to resolve the issue.
Ghana Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Boniface Gambila said the boundary lines are important and bond the two countries together.
Laud Ofori Afrifa, Deputy Controller General of the Ghana Immigration Service said some decisive measures will be taken including demolishing illegal structures along the boundary pillars.
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