ACCRA, Ghana (BN24) — Ghana’s Interior Minister, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, has confirmed that 13,253 Ghanaians have fled into Côte d’Ivoire in the wake of deadly land-related clashes in Gbiniyiri, a community in the country’s Savannah Region.
Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM on Thursday morning, September 4, 2025, the minister said the figure had been officially verified by both Ghanaian and Ivorian authorities, following days of intense violence in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District.
“The exact number confirmed by the authorities in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire is 13,253 have been displaced and they are there,” Mr. Muntaka stated, painting a grim picture of the escalating humanitarian crisis that has spilled across international borders.
The conflict, which erupted on Sunday, August 24, has so far claimed 31 lives and forced thousands to abandon their homes across at least 12 communities. The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) earlier estimated that over 48,000 people, predominantly women and children, have been affected. Of that number, approximately 14,000 are believed to have sought refuge in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire, with Côte d’Ivoire receiving the highest influx.
Mr. Muntaka emphasized the government’s commitment to restoring calm and finding a sustainable resolution. He revealed that dialogue efforts involving traditional leaders, including the Gonjaland delegation, the National Peace Council, and the Yagbonwura, were already underway.
“This morning, the delegation of the Gonjaland leadership with the Peace Council is meeting the Yagbonwura. I’m very optimistic with the way we are working. Hopefully, by tomorrow or at least by Monday, we are setting up a committee to investigate all this and then come out with a report on how best we can avoid this from recurring,” he said.
The minister also raised concerns over food insecurity, warning that prolonged displacement and the abandonment of farmland could deepen economic hardship in the region.
“Many of them left their farms to the areas where they find themselves now. Their animals, their food, their farms—all those are left unattended. And if we don’t resolve this quickly, we are going to lead to a lot of food insecurity in that area,” he warned.
On security measures, Mr. Muntaka disclosed that over 700 military and police personnel had been deployed to the conflict zone, equipped and tasked with maintaining peace and preventing further escalation.
“Our men in uniform are there with their weapons. We have over 700 men, both military and police in that area, and we are helping to maintain peace and order,” he noted.
While tensions remain, the minister gave assurances that the situation had largely stabilised. “I assure you that it’s calm now, it’s almost normal. In the past, we’ve not had even a shooting incident… Yes, we have no casualty there. We are looking at the possibility of reducing all that as normal,” he added.
As Ghana works to de-escalate the crisis and resettle displaced families, both national and regional observers continue to monitor the unfolding situation, with growing calls for long-term land reform and conflict resolution strategies in the affected areas.
