Ministry of National Security has strongly refuted a recent Reuters report claiming that Islamist militants are using northern Ghana as a logistical and medical hub for insurgent activities.
Reuters alleged on October 24 that “Ghanaian authorities appeared to be largely turning a blind eye to insurgents crossing from neighbouring Burkina Faso to obtain food, fuel, and even explosives, as well as receiving medical treatment in local hospitals.”
In a statement, the Ministry criticized the report, calling it “riddled with non-factual representations.” The Ministry further dismissed Reuters’ reliance on a report by the Netherlands Institute of International Relations (Clingendael), which it described as “discredited,” adding that it had already “challenged and pointed out errors” in Clingendael’s findings.
The Ministry described Clingendael’s assertion that Ghana avoids terrorist attacks due to a purported “non-aggression” understanding with militants as “entirely unfounded, misleading, and rather curious.”
The Ministry emphasized that “Ghana’s counter-terrorism efforts are rightly commended by her partners in the relentless regional and global fight against terrorism,” and rejected any portrayal of Ghana as a “supply line” for militants.
It maintained that Ghana’s security forces are actively engaged along its northern border, committed to “protecting citizens and maintaining regional stability.”
The statement also clarified that the Ministry had met with Clingendael researchers in August 2024 to address “numerous inaccuracies identified in their draft report regarding Ghana’s security stance.” The Ministry explained it had submitted a paper to Clingendael, refuting the claims of any alleged alignment with militant activities and expecting corrections to be reflected in the final publication.
“There is no ‘non-aggression’ policy or tacit agreement with militant groups,” the Ministry stated. “Any suggestion that Ghana ‘passively’ facilitates extremist activities or is permissive towards threats is not only incorrect but undermines the vigilance of our dedicated security personnel and the substantial investments the Government continues to make to fortify security along the northern frontier.”
The Ministry called on both the public and international community to disregard what it termed as “erroneous and irresponsible reports” and reiterated Ghana’s commitment to “uphold national security and safeguard the safety and wellbeing of its citizens” as well as its role in broader regional counter-terrorism efforts.
