The Government of Burkina Faso has reportedly recalled its ambassador to Ghana over President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s accusations that the country is hiring Russian mercenaries.
According to security analyst Adib Saani, the Burkinabe government has also summoned Ghana’s ambassador to Burkina Faso to answer questions about President Akufo Addo’s comments.
BBC Journalist Lalla Sy, who confirmed the move by the Burkinabe government, said that Burkina’s ambassador to Ghana was recalled for consultation over President Akufo-Addo’s accusations.
Lalla Sy, in a report on the BBC website, on December 16, 2022, said that Ghana’s ambassador to Burkina Faso was summoned for a meeting on Friday morning over the allegations Akufo-Addo made.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on the US government to help deal with the threat of Russian mercenaries on Ghana’s border with Burkina Faso.
According to the president, Ghana’s security apparatus has noticed the activities of these Russian mercenaries along its borders in the north who have been contracted by the Burkinabe government.
Addressing officials of the US government, including Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, at a meeting in Washington, Akufo-Addo said that the Burkinabe government had contracted these mercenaries to help them fight Islamic militants in their country and is paying them by giving them a mining concession.
“I think that beyond everything, there is a matter that I want to urge upon you. Today, Russian mercenaries are on our northern border. Burkina Faso has now entered into an arrangement to go along with Mali in employing the Wagner forces there.
“I believe a mine in southern Burkina has been allocated to them as a form of payment for their services. Prime minister of Burkina Faso in the last 10 days has been in Moscow. And to have them operating on our northern border is particularly distressing for us in Ghana,” he said.
