Govt says number 'refugees' crossing to Togo 'exaggerated'

Ghana on Tuesday confirmed that a number of people had crossed to neighbouring Togo in recent days to escape ethnic unrest in a community in the north of the country, but said the numbers quoted by the Togolese authorities were 'exaggerated' and 'alarming'.

Information Minister John Tia said there had been "some movement" in recent days from two communities the Bunkpurugu District of the Northern Region, where recent ethnic clashes had led to heightened tension. However, the figure of 3,500 quoted was an exaggeration.

'This movement has been going on but the figures they are mentioning are alarming and that is not true because the population of the two communities is not up to 2,000,' Mr Tia said.

He said some of the people only crossed to the camp established by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Togo for the refugees to receive food and return to their homes in Ghana.

Mr Tia said government was moving in with food supplies adding that 'life has returned to normal'.

He said the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) was moving in to assist those who had been displaced.