By Winifred Lartey

Copyright asaaseradio

The Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga has launched a multi-pronged diplomatic initiative to resolve a week-long border crisis that has left 232 Ghanaian trucks stranded and threatens to damage relations between Ghana and Burkina Faso.

Atanga held separate meetings with stranded truck drivers at the Paga border on Sunday and crossed into Burkina Faso for high-level discussions with border officials at the Dakola border post, as the impasse entered its second week.

The crisis began in very early September when Burkina Faso’s government enacted new regulations banning trucks longer than 54 feet from entering its territory, catching Ghanaian transporters off guard. Frustrated drivers responded Friday by blocking the Paga border, halting all traffic from Burkina Faso and demanding immediate reversal of the policy.

During his meeting with the drivers, Atanga acknowledged their economic hardship while praising their restraint.

“You are suffering directly. If you have items and they are perishables and they are supposed to be prolonged here for a week or three, it means in the end, you are going to lose the economic value of your asset. Which man on earth will tolerate that and keep quiet? So you have every right to express your dissatisfaction,” Atanga told the drivers.

The minister commended the drivers for their “mature and responsible” conduct, noting that their demonstration “drew the world’s attention to their current predicament” while preventing destruction of property.

In a separate diplomatic mission, Atanga crossed the border to meet with Burkinabe officials at Dakola, accompanied by security chiefs including the District Chief Executive for Kasena Nankana West, immigration commanders, and defense intelligence officers.

During the cross-border talks, Atanga conveyed greetings from President John Mahama to Burkina Faso officials, emphasizing the deep cultural and ethnic ties between the neighboring nations.

“If you allow those queues to be there, the ordinary citizens of Burkina Faso and the ordinary citizens of Ghana, viewing that, will be anticipating a serious problem between Burkina Faso and Ghana,” Atanga told border officials. “So that is how people will be thinking. And when it is taken like that, it goes into their psyche and it spoils our relationship.”

The minister stressed the urgency of resolving the crisis before public perception damages bilateral relations.

“So it is good that yes, errors have been committed, but if we resolve them timely, it will help us. So we want to plead with them that we need to do more. We should try and fast-track and see how they can do so that we’ll be able to claim those benefits to give us a better economy,” he said.

Burkinabe officials acknowledged the friendly ties between the two countries and assured the Ghanaian delegation that senior border authorities were already working in Ouagadougou to resolve the impasse. They pledged to address the issue “as soon as practicable.”

Atanga revealed that Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has already initiated high-level diplomatic conversations with his Burkinabe counterpart to ensure an amicable resolution.

“He has spoken to his colleague on the other side and they have agreed that they are going to look at the matter amicably. So within the shortest possible time, beginning tomorrow, we will see the changes that will take place,” the minister told drivers.

The minister also conducted an inspection of stranded Ghanaian trucks at the Dakola border, assessing the situation firsthand and interacting with affected truck owners and drivers to explore possible relief measures.

The crisis has created significant economic losses for transporters carrying perishable goods and threatens the robust cross-border trade relationship between the two West African neighbors. Many of the affected trucks were transporting goods not only to Burkina Faso but also to markets beyond.

Atanga urged all parties to preserve the strong business and ethnic relationships that have historically bound the two nations together, warning against any actions that could damage the good relationship between Ghana and Burkina Faso.

The minister expressed confidence in the border officials’ ability to mediate the crisis, saying he was “leaving everything in their hands” as intermediaries between the two governments.

Reporting by Mark Smith in the Upper East Region

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