Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo speaks during United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City in September 2022. (UN Photo)

By  Gary  Raynaldo     –  DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Ghana scrambled to undo the damage that caused a serious diplomatic row with Burkina Faso after Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo accused its neighbor of hiring Russian mercenaries. The Burkina Faso government was upset that President Akufo-Addo had the audacity to make the claim during a meeting last week in Washington DC with the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Akufo-Addo was among the 49 African leaders invited by President Biden to participate in the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit.

“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. Apart from not accepting the idea of great powers once again making Africa their theater of operation, we have a particular position that you know about over the Ukraine war, where we have been very, very vocal and up front about condemning the invasion of Russia – by Russia.  And therefore, there now to have this group in our borders is a matter of some considerable disquiet and concern for us.”

– Ghana  President Akufo-Addo said at the Summit in Washington sitting alongside the U.S. Secretary of State.

Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo Before their meeting during the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington DC  Dec. 14, 2022. (Credit: US Department of State)

Burkina Faso’s military authorities summoned Ghana’s Ambassador Over Russia Mercenary Claims 

Burkina Faso President Capt Ibrahim Traoré (Wikipedia)

Immediately, the Burkina Faso government condemned the Ghanian president for not having the decency to discuss such a delicate situation with its neighbor first rather than going public with such a scathing accusation.  Many felt Ghana’s president should have sat down with the Burkina Faso president to air his grievances instead of to the U.S., a member of NATO some believe is seeking to expand its military footprint on the African continent.   The Ghanian president went further by alleging that Burkina Faso had paid for its Russian mercenary services by giving them access to a mine.  Burkina Faso’s Minister of Mines Simon Pierre Boussim strongly denied the accusation. But the damage had been done. Burkina Faso swiftly recalled its ambassador in Ghana in response to President Akufo-Addo statements to the Americans.  And the leadership of Burkina Faso on Friday reportedly met Ghana’s Ambassador in Ouagadougou demanding explanation. Burkina Faso’s foreign ministry said it had “expressed disapproval” about the statements made by president Akufo-Addo.

Then on Wednesday, Ghana dispatched its national security minister to Burkina Faso to undo the diplomatic train wreck President Akufo-Addo caused. Ghana’s National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah apparently held audience with Burkina Faso’s interim leader, Army Captain Ibrahim Traoré . The Ghanian national security minister told journalists after the meeting that they had a “frank discussion”  to clarify what the Ghanaian President said in Washington.

“We have reviewed the strong cooperation between our two countries and we have clarified to our mutual satisfaction recent reported discussions between Ghana and the United States with regard to the needed partnerships for sustainable peace in the region,” the Ghanian minister said.

Many African critics view the Ghanian President as a weak leader under sway of Western powers.

“Nana should focus on his economy and complete his duties in Ghana. What does he have to do with what Burkina is doing?” – one commentator said on social media. 

“Somebody explain what does Russia being in Burkina Faso have to do with Ghana? Would the President of Ghana rather have known terrorists be at his borders? This is counter productive.”  – commentator said on social media. 

“There is no tension, Our president saw a threat and he spoke about it, Ghana we are more than ready to protect ourselves.”  – social media commentator