Sissala East Assembly recommends relocation of Tumu border post

The Sissala East Municipal Assembly has recommended the present border post sited in Tumu township be relocated to Limeira, the last community bordering Ghana and Burkina Faso, for effective crime control.

The border post in Tumu is about 18 kilometres to Burkina Faso and has been identified as a major challenge that impeded effective monitoring and supervision along the frontiers by security personnel.

Concerns have also been raised about the effectiveness of security officers stationed at the present location to fight cross-border crimes including; smuggling due to the distance and logistical challenges.

The Sissala East Assembly, therefore, set up a committee charged to find a solution to the problem and recommended the establishment of a border post at Limeira at the edge of entering Burkina Faso town of Leo to help check illegal migration and smuggling of goods and services.

Addressing assembly meeting in Tumu, the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Karim Nanyua, said it was important strengthening Ghana’s border close to Leo in Burkina Faso.

He said a committee established by the assembly had noted with concern that the Ghana-Leo (Burkina Faso) was about 18 kilometres away which made it difficult for the effective manning of the Ghana side of the border.

Communities like; Kupulima, Jiton and Limeira which are located close to the border are disturbed that the current border post was located in Tumu, raising security concerns.

Security experts also alluded to the fact that there was the urgent need to keep the border behind the Ghanaian communities at the edge to Burkina Faso. Mr Nanyua said: “It is therefore recommended that in other to reduce cross border crimes, a well-established border with all the mandated security agencies should be constructed and set up”.

In 2017, there was a publication in the national dailies asking for contractors to bid to build a new border post at Limeira near the frontier between Burkina Faso and Ghana, but this appears to have been abandoned.

The current situation makes it difficult for Ghanaians settling along the border to move freely after 1800 hours, whilst crime fighting is also challenged.