The reality of the proximity of Ghana to the insecurity in Burkina Faso and its attendant implications have never been so evident; seven Ghanaian tomato traders killed and four injured by jihadists in that country.
This story as published in yesterday’s Daily Guide, although carried on social media earlier, sent chills down the spines of Ghanaians when the headline screamed on the newsstands and reverberated on the airwaves.
Stories about jihadists or bandit attacks no longer move persons living in the Northern parts of Nigeria, Niger and Burkina Faso because they are commonplace in those places.
We appear to be spared such atrocities, for now.
We have commented for umpteenth times about how we are not too far from the insecurity which is now the feature of most of West Africa, more so since we share a common border with jihadist-infested Burkina Faso.
The Burkinabe strongman who swept to power through a coup has failed to subdue the jihadists, who are giving him a run for his money.
We acknowledge President John Mahama’s remark that tackling the jihadists and insecurity in the West African sub-region requires a joint response from the West African countries. While this is indisputable, we shall be quick to add that a call for such joint response has been recycled multitude times to no avail. It remains one of the many calls repeated during the usual talk-conferences on security in West Africa.
We are far away from putting up such a joint action, especially now that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has lost some of her members through coup d’etats and, therefore, rendered even weaker.
Under the prevailing circumstances and the reality on the ground, we on our own, as a sovereign country, should fashion out a security response.
Beefing up security on our frontiers, especially with Burkina Faso, is advised.
We acknowledge the financial and logistical challenges involved in securing our porous borders, but we should consider exploring alternatives. Whining and talking are no options.
Our borders are so porous that Nigerien beggars who were repatriated to their home country returned within days of their departure and parading our ornamental streets with impunity. The ease with which they re-entered suggests that jihadists can disguise themselves and set foot on the country when they so desire. Our flanks are dangerously open for exploitation.
With Bawku already restive, it provides a fertile launching base for the jihadists and as a gun-running hub.
As we called out in a previous commentary, the need for educating residents of our border towns and villages about security maintenance cannot be overlooked.
Security watchdog committees under the supervision of the security agencies in the areas should be set up.
The insecurity in Burkina Faso is closer to us now than ever if our tomato traders who travel to that country during the lean season to buy the vegetable are now targets.
The normal reaction by the cross-border traders would be to curtail the frequency of the trips, and that would impact negatively on the supply of this universal vegetable required in all dishes.