Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s minister of foreign affairs, revealed that over 8,000 of the 13,253 Ghanaians who fled to Côte d’Ivoire because of the Gbiniyiri crisis in the Savannah Region have made it back home safely.
At the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, September 15, 2025, Ablakwa stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has demonstrated flexibility and dedication in safeguarding the well-being of Ghanaians overseas.
He clarified that Ghana’s embassies in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire were instructed to collaborate closely with the governments of both nations in order to offer the required consular assistance to Ghanaians who had been displaced.
The Minister added that during his personal travel to Côte d’Ivoire from September 12 to 14, 2025, he was able to deliver a particular message of peace and reconciliation from President John Dramani Mahama and evaluate the situation of the displaced.
Additionally, he disclosed that while 13,253 Ghanaians had first sought asylum in Côte d’Ivoire, 8,000 had since left the country, according to a recent census, leaving 5,309 there.
Ablakwa gave CFA 6 million on President Mahama’s behalf to help with immediate humanitarian needs and to make safe return logistics easier.
He went on to say that the donation was on top of the aid supplies already given by NADMO, including food, water, blankets, and medications.
The welfare of some 1,455 Ghanaians who have been relocated in Burkina Faso was another topic of discussion between the Minister and his Burkinabe counterpart, Karamoko Jeanne Marie Drury.
He pointed out that this number was a considerable decrease from the 2,500 refugees reported during the height of the fighting.
The Mahama administration will not desert any Ghanaian in need overseas, Ablakwa promised.
He underlined the value of African unity and thanked the governments and people of Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire for their assistance, pointing out that Ghana has a long history of offering sanctuary to its neighbors in times of need.
Source: newsthemegh.com