Key points
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Extremists from Burkina Faso trade guns for gold in Ghana’s Upper East.
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CSOs urge government to stop the cross-border gun-for-gold trade.
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Security sources confirm weapons with Burkina Faso markings.
Violent extremist groups from Burkina Faso now trade guns for gold in Ghana’s Upper East Region. Civil society groups say the practice threatens security in mining towns.
The groups report that the trade began last year. It has since spread to Teshie, Widnaba, Zongoyire, Tilli, and Sapeliga in Bawku West District. It also affects Gbane and Datuku in Talensi District.
Extremists cross the border with weapons. They trade them for gold and use the cash to fund violence across West Africa.
Meanwhile, miners use the guns to protect illegal concessions, fight rivals, and fuel the Bawku conflict.
CSOs call for urgent government action
The Northern Ghana CSOs Platform on Natural Resources raised the alarm in Tamale during a workshop with activists, state officials, and journalists.
Speaking for the group, Alima Sagito Saeed of SWIDA Ghana said extremists were working with some Burkinabe defense groups.
“This involves people who cross into Ghana with guns and trade them for gold with miners,” she said. “We call on the Ministry of Defence, the Interior Ministry, and the National Commission on Small Arms to investigate and stop it.”
The CSOs also asked government to tighten border checks. In addition, they want stronger action against illegal mining and deeper cooperation with Burkina Faso.
Security operatives confirm Burkina Faso weapons
Security operatives in the Upper East confirmed the gun-for-gold trade. They said some weapons seized in recent raids carried Burkina Faso markings.
Officials also revealed that border surveillance has been stepped up. However, Upper East Regional Security Liaison Officer Paul Danka told the Daily Graphic the issue had not reached his office formally. He stressed that the porous border makes smuggling easy.
Natural resources driving conflict risks
Dr. Chrys Anab, Executive Director of TAMA Foundation Universal, warned that natural resources are now at the center of violent conflicts in northern Ghana.
“The next generation of conflicts are natural resource conflicts,” he said. “They will explode if action is delayed.”
He urged the Minerals Commission to publish mining licences in newspapers and post them on district notice boards. This, he argued, would allow communities to track local mining operations.
Also at the workshop, Stephen Azantilow, Director of Anti-Corruption at CHRAJ, announced a national action plan on business and human rights. The plan will address company abuses against workers and communities.
