Ghana in highest-level security collaboration with Ivory Coast to reopen border – Report

Ghana is said to be collaborating at the highest level with the Ivory Coast government to reopen the Invorian border which was closed last Friday  after armed men attacked a checkpoint at the Noe border.

“This collaboration is ongoing at the highest levels of government,” Ghana’s Deputy Interior Minister Kobby Acheampong told the AFP September 22, 2012 adding that it was to resolve security issues in order to reopen the closed border.

“We view this as a serious situation. We do not believe it is acceptable for any violence to be perpetrated against the people of Ivory Coast,” the AFP quoted Mr Acheampong as saying.

The armed men on the Ivorian side of the border are said to have attacked three different locations in Cote d’Ivoire, including a police post at a location called Ponbie Gonzak Ville, the Daily Graphic reported.

And citing Ivorian officials, the AFP reports that five assailants were killed in the shootout, another five were arrested, while the rest fled into Ghana.

The Alassane Ouattara-led government has on several occassions, accused allies of ex-President Laurent Gbagbo mostly living in Ghana of being behind recent series of attacks in Ivory Coast.

The Ghana Police Service early last week arrested three men suspected of planning a coup d’etat to topple the Ouattara government.

A key Gbagbo ally, Justin Kone Katinan, was last month arrested in Ghana for alleged economic crimes as budget minister during the post-election crisis.

By Ekow Quandzie