Deposed Blaise Campoare of Burkina Faso seeks asylum in Ghana

Mr. Campoare is expected to enter Ghana through an ‘unapproved’ route. It is a long journey from the border to the capital Accra and Mr. Campoare is likely to arouse some level of curiosity from locals before he arrives. He is however not a very popular figure in Ghana after deposing Sankara, a young charismatic leader who was very close to former Ghanaian president Jerry Rawlings.

Ghana’s Interior Minister, Mark Woyongo says Ghana will receive deposed Burkinabe leader Blaise Campoare if he arrives in Ghana as speculated. “We will have no choice but to welcome him,” Mr. Wayongo said.

Eyewitness and local media sources say a heavily armed convoy, believed to be escorting the deposed leader was sighted near the border with Ghana; sparking heated debate about what Ghana’s position should be on the Burkinabe crisis.

Ghanaian President John Mahama who is also the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been criticized by a section of the Ghanaian media for issuing a statement on behalf of ECOWAS stating that the regional body would not recognize any government that came into office through a coup d’etat.

Managing editor of the Insight Newspaper and a noted radio commentator Kwesi Pratt blasted President Mahama who chairs ECOWAS for issuing the statement.

“President Blaise Compaore is really bad and will go into history as one of the worst presidents in Africa,” he said.

After overthrowing his friend and colleague Thomas Sankara, Blaise Compaore ruled Burkina Faso for 27 years and attempted to extend his rule for another 5 years through a constitutional tweak. This rather started an angry uprising leading to his resignation on Friday after protesters had set parliament house and other government buildings ablaze.

Photo credit: AFP


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