The Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, has said 13,253 Ghanaians have crossed into neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire following clashes over land at Gbiniyiri in the Savannah Region.

Speaking in a radio interview with Joy FM on Thursday morning, [September 4, 2025], Mr Muntaka said the figure had been verified by both Ghanaian and Ivorian authorities. “The exact number confirmed by the authorities in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire is 13,253 have been displaced and they are there,” he noted.

The clashes, which started on Sunday, August 24, have claimed 31 lives and displaced thousands across about 12 communities in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District.

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) had earlier estimated that more than 48,000 people, mainly women and children, were affected. Out of this number, about 14,000 were reported to have sought refuge in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.

Mr Muntaka said the government was working with traditional leaders and the National Peace Council to restore calm.

“This morning, the delegation of the Gonjaland leadership with the peace council [is meeting] the Yagbonwura. And I’m very optimistic with the way we are working. Hopefully by tomorrow or at least by Monday, we are setting up a committee to investigate all this and then come out with a report on how best we can avoid this from recurring,” he stated.

The Interior Minister added that families had abandoned their livelihoods, which could worsen food insecurity in the area if the conflict persisted.

“Many of them left their farms to the areas where they find themselves now. Their animals, their food, their farms and all those are left unattended. And if we don’t resolve this quickly, we are going to lead to a lot of food insecurity in that area,” he cautioned.

On security, Mr Muntaka disclosed that more than 700 personnel had been deployed to the conflict zone. “Our men in uniform are there with their weapons. We have over 700 men, both military and police in that area, and we are helping to maintain peace and order,” he said.

He added that calm had largely returned to the area. “I assure you that it’s calm now, it’s almost normal. In the past, we’ve not had even a shooting incident… Yes, we have no casualty there. We are looking at the possibility of reducing all that as normal,” he said.