THE German Ambassador to Ghana, Frederik Landshoeft, has undertaken a four-day working visit to northern Ghana as part of efforts to ground Germany’s partnership with Ghana in the realities on the ground, assess what is working and reaffirm commitment where it is needed most.

Some of the places he visited included Tamale, Bolgatanga, Paga, Gwollu, Zini, Lambussie and Lawra districts in the Upper West and Savannah regions.

He visited border posts, military workshops, farming communities, health facilities and conflict-affected villages in some of these places.

A statement issued by the embassy after the trip described what the ambassador found during the trip as “a region under pressure. Terrorist spillover from the Sahel, organised crime, climate crisis and limited opportunities for young people were reshaping life along Ghana’s northern frontier.

He also found determination, communities planning for a better future and security forces working hard to hold the line,” the statement said.

The ambassador, in a remark, said the north of Ghana was vulnerable, but it was moving forward and Germany stood firmly at Ghana’s side because it mattered to Ghana, the region and most importantly, to the people of the north.

The statement said as part of the visit, Mr Landshoeft inspected the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) vehicle workshop in the Tamale and Paga border post, where Germany had equipped officers with protective gear and furnished an armed camp.

It said, through the German Armed Forces Technical Advisory Group (GAFTAG), that a vehicle maintenance workshop was under construction in Tamale and was due for completion in 2026, to serve as the headquarters maintenance hub for the northern command, with additional facilities planned for Bolgatanga and Wa.

GAFTAG

In Wa, the ambassador was reported to have visited the GAFTAG and inaugurated the Dog Kennel Facility.

In Lambussie-Karni and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Districts of the Upper West Region, the ambassador was reported to have presided over the handover ceremonies under the Coastal State Stability Mechanism (CSSM), supported by Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

The statement said Mr Landshoeft also visited some of the supported communities in Gbiniyiri, where he witnessed a conflict-affected community choosing peace through a participatory Community Action Plan, adding that in Zini, the host communities and refugees were building a shared vision of coexistence.

In Oribili, it said the ambassador met farmers facing climate stress and limited economic opportunities, while at Kulmasa, he visited the Holy Mother polyclinic, which serves women and children in one of the Savannah Region's most underserved areas.

"Investing in people is just as important as investing in borders. Strong borders, resilient communities and inclusive development are deeply connected.

That is the foundation of Germany's partnership with Ghana," Mr Landshoeft was quoted by the statement.