Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana have expressed worry about the increasing number of refugees fleeing from neighboring Burkina Faso due to Jihadist attacks.
The MPs are concerned that some of the Burkinabes seeking refuge in Ghana may engage in unfavorable practices that pose security threats to their constituents and the nation.
To address this situation, three MPs, Albert Akuka Alalzuuga, Mohammed Adams Supkparu, and Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, call on the government to take immediate action in resolving the concern and implement urgent measures to ensure the security and well-being of their constituents.
The Jihadist attacks in Burkina Faso have caused a humanitarian crisis, forcing innocent civilians to seek safety and shelter in neighboring countries like Ghana.
The influx of refugees has led to challenges such as cultural and social tensions, threats to communities from livestock brought by immigrants, and environmental issues like indiscriminate cutting of trees and clearing of forest reserves.
The Garu MP indicated that “The influx of people from different backgrounds has the potential of creating cultural and social tension. Apart from the fact that these immigrants are seeking asylum those who came with their livestock are causing threats to these communities, raising concerns about the safety of their crops as we are in the farming season.”
“The disregard for community rules and careless attitude towards the environment is posing serious challenges to these communities where they live. For instance, these communities have forest reserves but since their coming into these communities, refugees have been engaged in indiscriminate cutting of trees and the clearing of forest reserves that can harm severely our forest reserves and the survival of the ecosystem,” he stated.
Proper shelter for the refugees is a concern, and there is a need for better communication in communities sharing borders with Burkina Faso to differentiate between refugees and potential threats. The MPs call for the establishment of destitute camps in constituencies sharing borders with Burkina Faso to address the situation.
Additionally, one MP, Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, attributes the refugee influx from Burkina Faso to the outbreak of Anthrax in the Upper East Region of Ghana.