About 8,000 Ghanaian refugees have safely returned home from the Ivory Coast, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, has revealed.
Mr Ablakwa noted that the latest census conducted revealed that of the 13,253 displaced Ghanaians, who originally sought refuge in the Ivory Coast, there were 5,309 remaining in the Ivory Coast.
In an update at the Government Accountability Series press conference at the Presidency in Accra, on the state of Ghanaian refugees living outside the country following the outbreak of the Gbinyiri crisis in the Savannah Region, the Minister expressed the Government’s deep concern over the recent unfortunate clashes in Gbinyiri in the Savannah Region of Ghana near the borders with neighbouring the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.
The clashes have resulted in the loss of lives and the displacement of Ghanaians in both countries.
Mr. Ablakwa said he promptly directed Ghana’s embassies in the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso to actively collaborate with Ivorian and Burkinabe authorities to ramp up necessary consular assistance to their compatriots.
He said in addition, he had personally been to the Ivory Coast since Friday, 12th September 2025.\
“Indeed, I am returning to Accra only this morning,” the Minister said.
He said during his three-day working visit to the Ivory Coast, he held discussions with his Ivorian counterpart, Mr Kacou Houadja Leon Adom, about the displaced Ghanaians in the Ivory Coast.
He said after the talks, he led a team to the Bounkani Region of the Ivory Coast, where some 13,253 displaced “compatriots” originally sought refuge.
Mr Ablakwa said his visit was aimed at conveying a special message from President Mahama; to conduct further assessment of the situation for additional consular assistance; to express Ghana’s gratitude to their Ivorian counterparts, and to offer immediate assistance.
He said he delivered the special message from President Mahama, which was a message of peace and forgiveness, and a message appealing to all our compatriots to return home since the Government had beefed up security and ensured that normalcy is restored.
“On behalf of President Mahama, I donated 6 million CFA to cover urgent humanitarian needs and to facilitate logistical requirements for their return home,” the Minister said
This donation, Mr Ablakwa noted, was distinct from other relief items, including food, water, blankets, and medicines already provided through the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
“I have also engaged my Burkinabe counterpart, Hon. Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, on the welfare of our displaced compatriots, who are about a 1,455, a reduction from the tally of 2500 refugees during the peak of the conflict, in the Kpuere area, within the South-Western region of Burkina Faso.”
Mr Ablakwa said it was worth mentioning that the Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso had expressed pleasant satisfaction at the trend of the Ghanaian refugees returning to Ghana.
He said Ghana’s Foreign Ministry remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the welfare of Ghanaian citizens abroad.
Adding that it would continue to work assiduously with the support of the appropriate Ghanaian authorities, as well as the Ivorian and Burkinabe authorities, to provide the necessary assistance to our displaced compatriots.
“No Ghanaian in distress anywhere in the world would be ignored by the Mahama Administration,” the Foreign Affairs Minister assured.
Mr Ablakwa said, while thanking the governments and peoples of the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, that it was worth emphasising that this episode reminds them to always be embracing and welcoming of their African compatriots, as he was reminded by his colleague, the Foreign Minister.
They were keen to stress that Ghana had always provided a haven to refugees from the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Niger, and many other countries, so they were more than happy to return the favour, even if on a much smaller scale.
