The Ghana Boundary Commission and its colleagues in Burkina Faso have begun the process of reaffirming the border between the two nations, among other steps restoring the condition of eroding boundary pillars.

There are worries the boundary pillars, which were fixed more than 30 years ago, have been harmed by artisanal gold mining operations and other human activity. In July 2021, the two nations met for the first time at Paga.

Major General Emmanuel Kotia, the National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission, stated the two nations will start working as soon as possible during the opening ceremony of the second meeting of the Boundary Commissions of Ghana and Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou.

“We will jointly seek funding for the construction of new boundary pillars including intermediary boundary pillars and border post pillars and a monument at a location that we will agree on around the border crossing,” he explained.

General Emmanuel Kotia

He said “We will use this opportunity to urge GIZ to seek for funding for us to start this project this year. It’s important for us to begin work as soon as possible so our land boundary will not become areas of dispute between border communities.”

Permanent Secretary for the Boundary Commission for Burkina Faso said she was excited about the second meeting of the two countries. Ghana’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Adagbila Boniface Gambila said Ghana has a longstanding relationship with Burkina Faso and he is happy to see the second meeting of the two boundary commissions in Ouagadougou.

GIZ provided funding for the programme. ECOWAS component Manager, GIZ / African Union Border Programme Dr. Sanou Bakary says reaffirmation of boundaries of countries is a good way to prevent conflicts between countries.

“GIZ is supporting this programme by bringing in technical and financial support for the reaffirmation process. This programme was established in 2007 as a structural means to prevent conflicts across the African continent”.