Burkinabe recalls ambassador to Ghana over Russia’s Wagner claims: Reports

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - The Burkinabe government recalled its ambassador to Ghana on Friday because of claims by the Ghanaian president that Burkina Faso hired mercenaries from the Russian private security group Wagner, according to media reports.

Ouagadougou recalled Gen. Pingrenoma Zagre for “consultations” about “Burkina Faso's alleged links with Wagner,” said the government’s Burkina News Agency.

The report said the development came hours after the Ghanaian Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Boniface Gambila Adagbila, was summoned early Friday to the Foreign Ministry for remarks made by Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo.

On the sidelines of the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, Akufo-Addo accused Burkina Faso this week of hiring the mercenaries to fight terror groups in exchange for a mining concession.

Akufo-Addo, during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said his country’s security had noticed activities of Russian mercenaries along the shared northern border and he called for US help to deal with the mercenaries.

“The Minister Delegate for Regional Cooperation expressed the government’s disapproval of the statements by the Head of State of Ghana,” according to a Burkina Faso Foreign Ministry statement.

Ghana’s ambassador had reportedly indicated that his president’s remarks were not intended to condemn Burkina Faso or sow doubt in the minds of its people but rather to draw great interest in Burkina Faso.

But Burkina Faso argued that Ghana could have discussed with Burkinabe authorities the security issue “to get the right information.”

The diplomatic row comes days after Burkinabe Prime Minister Apollinaire Kyelem visited Moscow.

The Wagner security arm remains an issue of great concern in West Africa.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed concerns about the actions of Wagner in Mali and in particular about its alleged crimes against certain communities such as the Fulani.