General News of Saturday, 1 November 2014
Source: citifmonline.com
Burkina Faso has closed its border to Ghana due to the seeming political insecurity in that country, the Minister of The Interior, Mark Woyogo has disclosed to Citi News.
After a visit to the Paga border on Saturday, Mr. Woyogo told Citi News Upper East Regional correspondent Fred Awuni that Ghanaians who transact business in Burkina Faso have to suspend their activities for now.
“It is because of the insecurity in that country, every country will normally do that kind of thing, it's not new. There is some insecurity, I am sure they will need to arrest certain people; so the best thing is to close the borders so that everybody stays in the country.”
Mr. Woyogo debunked assertions that the closure of the border was to prevent the embattled former president of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore from entering Ghana.
“I don’t think they closed the borders purposely because of Blaise Compaore, it is something that is practiced everywhere in Africa, once there is trouble and you are closing borders, not just to one particular person but it is a general exercise. I don’t think it is meant for that man not to enter Ghana,” he insisted.
According to AP, unconfirmed reports say Blaise Compaore, his family and those close to him had been taken in by Ivory Coast.
It did not elaborate but said Ouattara was following events “with particular attention.”
Mr. Compaore was forced to resign by angry protesters who demonstrated for days and eventually torched their Parliament building after members of Parliament attempted to amend the constitution to allow Mr. Compaore stay on for another five-year term.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Hannah Tetteh, has assured that Ghanaians in Burkina Faso are safe.