A week-long field exercise by the Ghana Boundary Commission has confirmed reports along Ghana’s western frontier in the Bono Region, where damaged boundary pillars and neglected communities are raising fresh concerns about boundary management and human security.
The team, led by the Commissioner-General, Major General Anthony Ntem, carried out detailed inspections across border communities in the Dormaa Central and Jaman South Municipalities.
What they found on the ground largely confirmed earlier reports from officers of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana Immigration Service that some of the country’s international boundary markers are in poor condition.
While many of the pillars remain intact, several have been displaced, defaced, or broken. Officials attribute the damage to a mix of human activity and environmental factors, a situation that could complicate boundary demarcation and security.
Notably, although the Boundary Commissions of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are currently undertaking a joint reaffirmation exercise involving the replacement of international boundary pillars along the common land boundary, the activity has not yet extended to the aforementioned municipalities. It is anticipated that issues concerning the reconstruction of the identified pillars in these locations will be addressed during Phase Three (3) of the Joint Reaffirmation Exercise.
Beyond the physical state of the boundary, the exercise also cast a spotlight on the living conditions of people along these frontier communities. The Commission’s human security needs assessment revealed that many of the settlements lack basic social infrastructure, highlighting the everyday challenges faced by residents living at the edges of the country.
Throughout the exercise, the team engaged widely with key stakeholders from regional authorities to traditional leaders and residents. Strategic meetings were held with the Bono Regional Minister, Municipal Chief Executives, and members of the Municipal Security Councils, alongside interactions with traditional rulers and community members whose lives are directly impacted by border-related issues.
From Gonokrom to Kofi Badukrom, Kwamesiekrom, Drobo, Batia, Atuna, and Kwameprakrom, the issues were largely the same: communities eager for rapid development, even as they sit on the frontlines of Ghana’s territorial boundaries.
For the Commission, the findings underscore the urgent need not only to maintain boundary infrastructure but also to address the broader development gaps in border areas, issues that remain critical to both national security and local livelihoods.
