Kofi Ampeah Woode
Germany has urged Ghana, as a beacon of democracy in a subregion generally deemed as increasing in insecurity, to cleave strictly to the principles and route of rule of law, and the international standards of the respect for human rights, in good and bad times.
The Federal Republic of Germany’s Ambassador to Ghana – His Excellency (HE) Daniel Krull made the call as Special Guest at a ceremony at Burma Camp, Accra, on Wednesday 19 July 2023, to inaugurate Ghana Armed Forces’ (GAF) newly constructed 30-room 2-storey ultramodern Signal Training School (SGS).
In a speech delivered, Ambassador Krull said “I would like to stress that the fight against terrorism does not justify any deviation from this route, although we recognize and share Ghana’s concerns, especially with regards to the risks of the modus operandi of terrorist groups and organized crimes spillover from neighbouring countries from the north.
We are convinced that at the height of the current trend of terrorist spillovers, we must insist that international human rights standards are upheld and we know that this is a view shared by our Ghanaian partners. This kind of insisting on international human rights standards is in no way weakening our efforts, or your efforts to ensure that peace and security will prevail in the north of Ghana.
Insisting that human rights for all is respected is rather strengthening our and your peace building capacity. Not respecting human rights would undermine the peacebuilding capacity and that is not what we want to achieve, and we are happy to know that we are on the same page here, in this regard” HE Krull said.
At the event, Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Defence, and Member of Parliament for Atwima-Kwanwoma – Mr Kofi Amankwa-Manu, who was the Guest of Honour at the event, in his speech, acknowledged the German Government’s support in the Accra Initiative through the provision and establishment of the Mobile Headquarters in Tamale.
He said the facility enhances the command-and-control hub of the Multinational Joint Task Force Headquarters under the Initiative, and by extension the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Standby Force to coordinate efficiently and effectively, in dealing with the myriad of threats and other emerging ones confronting it.
Countries within the (ECOWAS) sub-region have continued in a fight to deal with the instability and have successfully implemented the Accra Initiative; which involves the consistent collaboration and cooperation of security and intelligence heads from Ghana and her neighbours, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Togo, and other partners, he added.
The Deputy Minister continued that the Accra Initiative, which is also referred to as OPERATION KOUNDANLGOU, seeks to enhance the fight against terrorism in the region, and has helped Ghana to reinforce the security of its northern borders against infiltrations.
He highlighted challenges of security within the West African subregion, especially along the Sahel belt, and said the re-branding of domestic terrorist groups like the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), Boko Haram, and its splinter group, Ansaru, in order to remain relevant as extremist groups on the global stage, militates against economic growth and emancipation.
He continued that whilst each of these groups has a unique context and varied dynamics of operation, it is widely recognized that, in recent years, they have at the very least embarked on an agenda to consolidate their gains, though less clear is the extent of their inter-group collaboration and the subsequent increased threat to the sub-region, as well as the interests of external powers.
Minister Amankwa-Manu added that the possibility of continued or increased collaboration between these terrorist groups in the near future, makes it important to examine their typologies of motivation which, include criminal kidnap-for-ransom and politically-motivated terrorism.
Burkina Faso’s struggle against Islamist militants has raised security concerns in neighbouring Ghana, and observers say illegal weapons are being smuggled into Ghana via porous borders and through immigrants.
Ghana’s Ministry of National Security has firmly denied reports and publications alleging n GAF’s involvement in forced repatriation of Burkinabe refugees from Ghana, in a release.
The release says the Ministry, in collaboration with the Ghana Refugee Board and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has accordingly established a temporary reception centre in the Upper East Region, capable of holding an estimated two thousand, one hundred (2,100) displaced people from Burkina Faso.
It continues that, five hundred and thirty (530) displaced Burkinabes are being accommodated at the reception centre, whilst Ghanaian official entities ensure that displaced persons have access to free food and medical care, while as part of measures to enhance containment efforts, a 30-acre land has been acquired for the establishment of housing facilities to host displaced persons.
Although the release alludes to some repatriation measures, it further clarifies that the repatriation process is consistent with international protocols on the management of refugees and has so far, been implemented in collaboration with Burkinabe Immigration Authorities, along the Ghana-Burkina Faso border.
“The Government of Ghana reiterates its commitment to maintaining peace, stability, and territorial integrity while ensuring the well-being of its citizens. Operations will continue to be conducted with respect for human rights, including the rights of refugees and displaced persons from neighbouring countries,” the statement says.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
