Wagner allegation: Akufo-Addo has created foreign policy crisis – Minority Leader

The National Democratic Congress(NDC) Minority caucus in Parliament has accused President Akufo-Addo of creating a foreign policy crisis for Ghana after he alleged that Ghana’s neigbouring country, Burkina Faso has hired Russian mercenaries.

President Nana Akufo-Addo speaking on Wednesday at the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington said “Today, Russian mercenaries are on our northern border. Burkina Faso has now entered into an arrangement to go along with Mali in employing the Wagner forces there. To have (Wagner) operating on our northern border is particularly distressing for us in Ghana.”

Speaking alongside United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Akufo-Addo also alleged that Burkina Faso had offered Wagner a mine as payment.

Burkina Faso was not happy with President Akufo-Addo’s comment and on Friday summoned Ghana’s ambassador to that country over the issue.

Addressing the NDC National Delegates Congress at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday, December 17, 2022, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrissu asked President Akufo-Addo not to invite a war against Ghana with his reckless comment if he cannot provide food for the citizenry.

“…President Nana Akufo-Addo has not only failed by creating an economic mess, but he has also gone ahead to create what you’ll call a foreign policy crisis for our country. Those of you who listened to President Akufo-Addo, former Foreign Minister of our Republic, and former Attorney-General, he’s simply failed momentarily to have impulse control and to ensure balance between foreign policy and the security of our State when he openly condemned Burkina Faso and mentioned the WAGNER group of Russia.”

He added: “I have information that our Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs and our members on Foreign Affairs will ask for a detailed briefing to Parliament on this reckless, irresponsible and unprofessional statement by the President of our Republic. If he cannot provide us with food, he should not let them bring guns on us as a country.”