Côte d’Ivoire is assisting Ghanaian refugees who have fled an intercommunal crisis in Ghana’s Savannah Region.
The refugees have sought safety in the northeastern part of the country, specifically the Bounkani region.
The death toll in the ongoing land dispute at Gbinyiri in the Savannah Region has risen to 31 as of Tuesday, September 2.
The incident, which has now escalated to about 12 communities in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District in the Savannah Region, has also resulted in the displacement of about 48,000 people, mostly women and children, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has said.
About 14,000 victims have crossed into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire to seek refuge, while thousands of others are being camped in makeshift tents at Sawla under the care of the Ghana Red Cross and NADMO.
The incident, which started on Sunday, August 24, 2025, was reportedly triggered by a disagreement over a parcel of land.
The official death toll could be much higher, with some residents claiming more than 200 people could have been killed since the clashes broke out.
Aside from that, some of the displaced are also said to have drowned while attempting to cross the Black Volta River into Côte d’Ivoire.
Nialé Kaba, the Ivorian Minister of Economy and Planning, expressed her solidarity with both the Ghanaian refugees and the local people of Bounkani.
On Saturday, August 31, 2025, she sent representatives to the towns of Vonkoro and Massioutéon to deliver food and non-food items.
Local officials, including the Prefecture Secretary General, Michel Ziao, and the Zanzan Regional Director of Planning and Development, Sylla Boubacar attended the official ceremony in Vonkoro.
The donation included 3 tons of rice, 100 mats, 260 buckets, and 2 cartons of oil.
With this gesture, Minister Kaba aims to alleviate the burden on displaced families and support the host communities in their acts of kindness.
She also praised the local populations for their “generosity” and spirit of brotherhood, which she said powerfully reflects the Ivorian tradition of hospitality.
This humanitarian effort is a sign of Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to peace and social cohesion in the region.
AP/fss/abj/APA
