Former Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has cautioned against politicising the recent deadly attack on Ghanaian traders in Burkina Faso, insisting that the matter should be treated strictly as a security issue.

Dr Okoe Boye urged policymakers and the public to focus on strengthening intelligence gathering, cross-border security coordination, and preparedness, rather than engaging in partisan blame.

His comments follow reports that Ghanaian traders traveling to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes were ambushed by a terrorist group while returning home. According to reports, the attackers lined up the men on board, shot them, and set their vehicle ablaze.

Eight Ghanaians who lost their lives in the attack have since been buried, while survivors were airlifted back to Ghana by the Ghana Armed Forces and are currently receiving medical care and counselling.

Speaking on The Big Issue on  Channel One TV on Saturday, Dr. Okoe Boye said the national conversation must not be diverted into partisan debate.

“We should be careful not to move the discussion, which is a security issue, to a trade issue, to say that if we had even built a dam during someone’s time, this would not have happened. You have security issues, so let’s talk about that,” he stated.

He explained that in the past, Ghanaian traders operating in some of these territories were often allowed to pass after engaging with rebel groups who identified them as Ghanaians. However, the recent killings suggest a worrying shift.

“In time past, the traders went into these territories, engaged with the rebels, and after they engaged them and they realised they were from Ghana, they let them pass. Now, there is the situation where these rebels kill the traders at another time — that should tell you that something might have gone wrong,” he said.

Dr. Okoe Boye questioned whether Ghana’s security intelligence anticipated the evolving threat.

“But did our security intelligence pick that? If they did not pick that, then we should have a committee to look into that. This is how we can be better prepared for another event similar in the future,” he added.

He further warned that Ghana’s vulnerability is not limited to its northern frontier.

“Apart from the attack on the traders on the northern side of our border, we have other borders, and something can happen there as well. What are the lessons we learn from this one?” he asked.

Dr. Okoe Boye also dismissed arguments linking the incident to development projects such as the proposed Pwalugu Dam, describing such claims as misplaced.

“The fact that this has happened during the NDC’s time does not mean they failed miserably in security. So, they argue that if we had the Pwalugu Dam, they would not have gone there. But the issue is, even if we had the Pwalugu Dam working, someone would still enter Burkina Faso to buy another item there,” he said.