Countries in the West African sub-region have been admonished to work hard to ensure that security agencies at the boarders and trade routes conduct their activities in a very professional way.
The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Amidu Chinnia Issahaku who made the call, said upping of the game by security personnel at the various entry points will not only facilitate the easy movement of people, but, will equally boost trade among countries in the sub-region.
Mr. Chinnia Issahaku was speaking in Wa at the tripartite meeting between the Upper West Region of Ghana, South West Region of Burkina Faso and Bounkani Region of Cote dIvoire.
GBCs Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo in this piece says the meeting was a follow up on the resolutions from an earlier one held in 2018 in Gaoua in Burkina Faso.
The Deputy Upper Regional Minister, Mr. Chinnia Issahaku used the occasion to thank the Burkinabe and the Ivorian delegations for joining the Region in Nandom to mark the 62nd Independence Anniversary of Ghana, adding that it was very refreshing seeing them again at the cooperation meeting.
He told the meeting that neighbouring countries have no excuse but to strengthen the existing relationship for the benefit of their citizens.
Mr. Chinnia Issahaku shared his unhappiness about the smuggling of fertilizer from the Planting for food and Jobs Programme into some parts of Burkina Faso for sale and called for a collaboration to fight the menace.
The Deputy Regional Minister said: Our vegetation is fast deteriorating because of some of the negative human practices such as mining, cutting of trees and bush burning.”
He made it known that Upper West had made strides in the fight against illegal mining activities, especially along the Black Volta areas where some Burkinabe and Ghanaians were involved in illegal mining activities.
Mr. Chinnia Issahaku stressed the need for more collaboration to protect the environment for future generations.
The Governor of South West Region of Burkina Faso, Colonel Tagseba Nitiema and the Governor of Bounkani Region of Cote dIvoire, Joseph Kpan Droh called on all the parties in the tripartite cooperation to work assiduously to achieve the objectives of their relationship.
Some of the issues discussed at the meeting ranged from security, health, agriculture, to trade and tourism.
Story and pictures by Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
