Ghana Security Update – April 2016

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In a memo dated 9th March, Ghana’s Immigration Service called for security to be increased along the border with Burkina Faso, following intelligence gathered by Ghana’s National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS)  warning of a “possible terrorist attack” on Ghana and a possible attack on neighbouring Togo.

Ghana President John Mahama called for calm, but to remain vigilant, after the NSCS security memo was leaked to the press.

This comes soon after the March attack in Ivory Coast which was carried out by Islamist gunmen who entered Ivory Coast from Mali, using vehicles with Niger registration, and weapons concealed in those vehicles.

This attack in Ivory Coast followed similar recent attacks targeting hotels and tourists in Mali and Burkina Fado.

While Ghana has not been the target of terror attacks to date, this intelligence serves to remind foreign investors and companies operating in and deploying staff to Africa that the threat remains ever present and contingency plans need to be updated and implemented to prevent loss of life or assets.