Burkina Faso debunks Ghana’s claims Wagner awarded gold mine in exchange for support

Burkina Faso’s Minister of Mining Tuesday branded rubbish Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo’s claims that the insecurity-dogged country has awarded a mining field to the Russian private military company Wagner for exploration in exchange for support.

“We have not granted a permit to a Russian company in southern Burkina. On the other hand, a cabinet meeting has officially granted an operating permit to an industrial mine called Nordgold for the exploitation of the Yimiougou ore located in the commune of Korsimoro, in the Centre-Nord region,” said Simon Pierre Boussim in reaction to Akufo-Addo’s comment in Washington last week during the US-Africa summit.

“Today, Russian mercenaries are on our northern border. Burkina Faso has now made an arrangement with Mali to allow Wagner forces in that country to intervene in Burkina,” the Ghanaian leader said.

He added that Ouagadougou has awarded a mining field located in the south of the country to the Russian private security company, said to be close to Moscow.
Nordgold, Boussim added has been present in Burkina Faso for more than one decade and is already exploiting ore three gold mines. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative branch of the West African country backed up Boussim’s comments and provided documentations on all Russian mining companies operating in the country.

The Tuesday reaction is the second by Burkina Faso following Akufo-Addo’s comment. Friday, Ghana’s ambassador to Burkina Faso Boniface Gambila Adagbila was summoned for explanation. Ouagadougou also recalled its envoy to Accra for consultation.

Adagbila according to the Burkina Faso foreign ministry indicated that Akufo-Addo’s comments were not meant to condemn Burkina Faso but the intention was mainly to attract the attention of the partners in order to create a great interest in Burkina Faso.