By Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
The Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC) recently organized a series of sensitization and training needs assessment sessions for several border communities in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region. The beneficiary communities were Kolingu, Maase, Chiatanga, Jambussi, and Dabo.
The exercise, under the aegis of the GhBC, enabled officials from various institutions, including the Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Wa West District Assembly, and Ghana Immigration Service, to interact and share diverse perspectives with residents of the border communities. The primary focus was on raising awareness about security, environmental, and socio-economic issues associated with illegal mining, smuggling, and cross-border crimes.
Key issues brought under the spotlight during the sensitisation included best mining practices, transnational organised crime (TOC), border issues, and the skills training needs of residents in frontier communities.
Regarding best mining practices, participants were educated on the importance of coming together under one umbrella to acquire the necessary authorisations or licences to engage in small-scale mining in a responsible and environmentally sustainable manner.
On transnational organised crime, community members were reminded of the risks and consequences of cross-border crimes and the importance of sharing critical information with the appropriate agencies for timely action. The sessions also focused on border issues related to security, immigration, and cross-border interactions.
By engaging these border communities, the GhBC aimed to empower residents with knowledge and skills to combat illegal activities and promote sustainable development. The collaboration between the GhBC and other institutions demonstrates a commitment to addressing the complex challenges faced by these communities.
The interactive sessions were designed to make a positive impact on the communities by fostering greater awareness and cooperation among residents, local authorities, and security agencies.
The Director of Research at GhBC, John Tsotorvor, who led a team from the Commission and usually set the tone for the sessions, underscored the special bond between the GhBC and border communities. He stated: “All the communities along the boundary between Ghana and Burkina Faso are of interest to us [GhBC] in terms of their development, and so we work towards facilitating the development of all these border communities.”
Mr. Tsotorvor added that, in line with this objective, the Commission is partnering with the German International Cooperation (GIZ) under a project titled Mitigating the Destabilising Effects of Transnational Organised Crime. He pointed out that mining in border communities had also been identified as one of the key issues, hence the partnership with the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to shed light on how mining can be done the right way to safeguard the environment.
A Community Relations Officer (CRO) from the Minerals Commission office in Wa, Thomas Beyir Gibentey, observed that although mining is a livelihood venture and beneficial when well regulated, illegal mining poses a threat to human existence.
He therefore called for responsible mining within the confines of the law for the benefit of all. Mr. Gibentey announced that illegal mining could attract a prison sentence of between 15 and 25 years upon prosecution, and recommended that people obtain all the necessary permits before engaging in mining.
Another CRO from the Minerals Commission office in Wa, Solomon Abakah, warned the public against polluting water bodies, noting that the use of contaminated water can cause numerous health problems, including birth defects and kidney diseases.
An Assistant Programmes Officer at the EPA, Justin Babasoro Dakpiri, indicated that illegal mining is destroying the country’s biodiversity by sacrificing environmental sustainability in the search for gold.
The DCE for Wa West, Richard Wulo, expressed appreciation to GhBC for sensitising border communities in the district about the destructive impacts of galamsey, saying: “We are fortunate to have the Ghana Boundary Commission to educate us to refrain from activities that will negatively impact our environment.”
He said the Black Volta River is a vital natural resource and stressed the need to protect it for the benefit of all. Mr. Wulo encouraged young people to take advantage of government initiatives such as the apprenticeship programme, the coders programme, and the Adwumawura programme, among others, to learn a trade and improve their livelihoods.
The District Coordinating Director (DCD) of Wa West, Yango K. Crispin, called for peaceful coexistence between residents of Ghanaian border communities and their counterparts in Burkina Faso to foster development.
Mr. Crispin noted that people in border areas often cross over to marry or to farm on the other side of the boundary. Despite these shared ties, he cautioned that the parochial interests of a few should not be allowed to threaten the wellbeing of the larger community.
A Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI), Edwin Aasoyir, advised residents of border communities to promptly inform the appropriate authorities about the presence of strangers in their areas, so that their immigration status can be verified to ensure the safety of all.
