Ghanaian soldiers fighting Islamic extremism along its borders
The Ministry of National Security has strongly refuted a recent report by Reuters alleging that Islamist militants are using northern Ghana as a logistical and medical base for insurgent activities.
In a statement released on Friday, October 25, the Ministry criticized the Reuters article, labelling it as inaccurate and based on unfounded claims.
According to Reuters, Ghanaian authorities have allegedly ignored insurgents crossing from Burkina Faso to access food, fuel, explosives, and medical treatment.
The Ministry denounced this portrayal, stating that Reuters’ report relied heavily on a discredited publication by the Netherlands Institute of International Relations (Clingendael).
The Ministry emphasized that it had previously flagged errors in Clingendael’s report and provided a response outlining those inaccuracies.
One claim from the Clingendael-Reuters report suggested that Ghana’s lack of terror attacks stemmed from a supposed “non-aggression” agreement with militant groups to secure supply lines and safe zones.
The Ministry dismissed this as baseless, calling it a “curious and unfounded” assumption that undermines Ghana’s efforts to combat extremism.
In August 2024, the Ministry reported holding discussions with Clingendael researchers to correct inaccuracies in the draft report regarding Ghana’s counter-terrorism stance.
Despite providing a response paper to clarify the country’s security efforts, these corrections were reportedly not reflected in the final report.
The Ministry firmly rejected Ghana’s portrayal as a “supply line” for extremists, highlighting the commendation Ghana’s counter-terrorism strategies have received from both regional and international partners.
“The Government of Ghana deserves recognition for its considerable investments in border security.
Our security forces remain vigilant, especially along the northern border, to protect citizens and uphold regional stability,” the Ministry stated.
Additionally, the Ministry repudiated any suggestions of a “non-aggression” policy with militant groups, calling the notion of a tacit understanding absurd.
“Any claim that Ghana passively supports extremist activities is false and disregards the diligence of our security personnel and the government’s significant investments in border security.”
The statement also highlighted Ghana’s ongoing efforts to combat cross-border threats, emphasizing achievements by State Security and Intelligence Agencies in deterring terrorist infiltration.
The Ministry pointed to Ghana’s strong collaboration with neighbouring countries in intelligence-sharing and joint operations as evidence of its commitment to counter-terrorism.
The Ministry concluded by urging the public and the global community to disregard the “erroneous and irresponsible” claims in the Reuters report.
“The Government of Ghana remains unwavering in its commitment to national security, citizen safety, and regional counter-terrorism cooperation,” the statement affirmed.
