President John Dramani Mahama has directed urgent efforts to evacuate Ghanaian traders injured in a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso, as the government mourns those who lost their lives in the cross-border incident.
Addressing participants at the Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition in Accra on Tuesday, February 17, the President confirmed that the victims were part of a group of traders who had travelled to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes when they were attacked by armed insurgents.
“On behalf of the government and people of Ghana, we express our condolences to the families of those who were killed or injured,” President Mahama said.
He explained that the traders were conducting routine business activities in a local village when they were ambushed, underscoring growing security risks in parts of the Sahel region that have experienced increased militant activity.
“Recently, some traders from Ghana travelled to Burkina Faso to buy tomatoes. They were ambushed in a village where they were transacting business,” he said. “Armed insurgents and terrorist groups attacked them, and unfortunately, we lost a number of our compatriots. Thankfully, a few survived.”
In response, the President announced that the Ghana Armed Forces have been deployed to coordinate the safe return of the injured victims to Ghana for continued medical care.
“The Ghana Armed Forces are arranging to medically evacuate the injured from Burkina Faso so they can continue receiving treatment here in Ghana,” he stated.
The attack highlights the dangers faced by Ghanaian traders who rely on cross-border commerce for their livelihoods, particularly in regions where insecurity has escalated in recent years.
President Mahama assured the public that government authorities are closely monitoring the situation and remain committed to protecting Ghanaian citizens both at home and abroad.
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