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0 An international relations expert, Ishmael Hlovor, has called on the government to actively collaborate with Burkina Faso in addressing the persistent terrorist threat in the country, warning that failure to do so could put Ghanaian citizens at risk.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, following the recent jihadist attack in Titao, northern Burkina Faso, which claimed the lives of eight Ghanaian traders, the expert emphasised that the terrorist situation in Burkina Faso will not resolve itself.
According to the analyst, Ghana’s best option is to work closely with the authorities in Burkina Faso to identify areas where terrorist groups operate and build up security in those regions.
“Therefore, the best Ghana can do is to continue to collaborate with the authorities in Burkina Faso, that is the government of Burkina Faso, to try as much as possible to know places where the bandits normally operate and then try and build up security in those areas,” he said.
He added, “And then we must also come with a little bit of intelligence so that places where the Burkina Faso government regularly operates, those are the places that the government should advise our citizens against going.”
Mr Hlovor warned that if Burkina Faso is left alone to deal with the terrorists and is unable to contain them, the threat could spill over into Ghana.
He further emphasized that Ghanaian assistance does not mean taking sides in Burkina Faso’s internal conflict, but is necessary to prevent the terrorist threat from spreading.
“Beyond that, we must recognise that if we leave Burkina Faso alone to fight these men and they are unable to do so, we should not be surprised if the terrorists find their way to our soil.”
He advised that Ghana engage proactively with Burkina Faso’s lawful authorities to contain the threat before it reaches Ghanaian territory.
