Security Expert Questions Absence of Early Alerts Before Deadly Attack
Renowned security analyst, Prof. Kwesi Aning, has sharply criticised the government for what he describes as a glaring failure to issue timely security warnings to Ghanaian tomato traders operating in Burkina Faso prior to the recent deadly attack.
According to Prof. Aning, not a single official alert was issued to caution traders about the escalating security threats in parts of Burkina Faso, particularly in areas known to be volatile and prone to terrorist activity.
He argued that the absence of proactive intelligence sharing and early warning mechanisms exposed unsuspecting traders to grave danger, ultimately resulting in tragic consequences.
“Lives Could Have Been Saved” — Aning
Prof. Aning maintained that Ghana’s security architecture includes systems designed to monitor cross-border threats and provide alerts to citizens when risks intensify in neighbouring countries.
He questioned why those mechanisms were not activated despite Burkina Faso’s well-documented insecurity challenges in recent years.
“Not one warning was issued,” he stressed, suggesting that lives could have been saved if traders had been properly informed about the deteriorating situation before embarking on their trips.
Traders Regularly Travel to High-Risk Areas
For years, Ghanaian tomato traders have travelled to Burkina Faso to purchase produce for local markets. However, several regions in the country have increasingly become hotspots for extremist attacks and violent insurgency.
Security experts have consistently flagged the Sahel region as volatile, with cross-border implications for neighbouring countries, including Ghana.
Prof. Aning emphasised that while traders take commercial risks, the state has a responsibility to provide accurate, timely intelligence to help citizens make informed decisions.
Calls for Stronger Cross-Border Security Coordination
The security analyst further called for improved coordination between Ghana’s security agencies and their counterparts in Burkina Faso to ensure real-time information sharing.
He also urged authorities to establish a structured alert system specifically targeting traders and transport operators who frequently travel to high-risk zones.
According to him, safeguarding citizens abroad is not optional but a core responsibility of the state.
Government Yet to Respond
As of the time of filing this report, government officials had not publicly responded to Prof. Aning’s criticism.
The attack on Ghanaian traders has sparked widespread concern and renewed debate over cross-border security measures, with many demanding urgent reforms to prevent future tragedies.
The incident adds to growing anxieties about the spillover of Sahelian insecurity into West Africa’s coastal states, including Ghana.
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