The Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC), Major General Anthony Ntem, has called on residents living along Ghana’s international borders to protect boundary pillars and support efforts to safeguard the country’s territorial integrity.

According to him, border communities played a critical role in preserving Ghana’s international boundaries and must remain vigilant by reporting suspicious activities, encroachments, or damage to boundary pillars through local administrative and security authorities.

He stressed that community participation was essential to maintaining the integrity of the country’s borders, noting that residents often serve as the first point of contact in identifying activities that may threaten national security.

Major General Ntem made the remarks during a five-day Operational and Human Security Needs Assessment conducted by the Commission in parts of the Volta Region.

The exercise forms part of the Commission’s efforts to assess the condition of Ghana’s international boundary pillars while also evaluating the security and development needs of border communities.

As part of the assessment, officials from the Ghana Boundary Commission engaged security agencies stationed at the Wli Border Post and held consultations with traditional authorities in the Leklebi Agbesia Traditional Area.

“Boundary pillars remain critical markers for delineating Ghana’s international land boundaries and play an important role in preventing disputes and maintaining peaceful relations with neighbouring countries,” Major General Ntem stated.

He explained that the Commission continues to monitor the condition of the country’s boundary markers, some of which were erected during the colonial era.

“We make use of boundary markers, which are the pillars located along the land boundary. Some of these pillars were erected during the colonial era, and part of our work is to ascertain whether they are still in place.

“Over the years, some have been displaced, while others have been overgrown by vegetation. We have therefore commenced the construction of new pillars to reinforce the boundary,” he said.

During the engagements, community members highlighted several developmental challenges confronting border settlements, including the absence of a health facility and the need for an access road linking the community to a nearby waterfall to enhance tourism activities and local economic development.

The assessment team also visited the border communities of Agortime Kpetoe, Wudome and Leklebi Kame to gather information on operational and human security concerns.

In addition, the Commission held discussions with the Member of Parliament for Agotime-Ziope Constituency, Charles Agbeve, as well as contractors undertaking an ongoing road construction project along sections of the Ghana-Togo international boundary.

The Commission used the opportunity to sensitise both the contractors and other stakeholders on the need to adhere to established boundary limits and avoid activities that could compromise the integrity of boundary pillars.