Retracing Our Lines: Ghana Intensifies Boundary Pillar Construction with Côte d’Ivoire
The Ghana Boundary Commission has begun a critical field inspection exercise along the Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire frontier, underscoring the country’s firm commitment to peaceful coexistence, territorial clarity and long-term regional stability.
The inspection exercise is aimed at assessing progress on the ongoing construction of International Boundary Pillars, reviewing staked-out locations for upcoming works, and engaging local stakeholders to rally community support for the exercise, which is central to preventing future boundary-related disputes.
The visit forms part of Stage One of Phase One of the Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire Boundary Reaffirmation Exercise, a landmark initiative scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2026.
Out of a total of 37 Main, Intermediate and Border Crossing Pillars planned for this stage of the phase, 14 have already been successfully constructed, marking steady progress since work officially commenced January this year. The inspected pillars include major landmarks such as the historic Tano Pillar, the Farafarako International Boundary Pillar, among others.
Speaking during the inspection exercise, the Commissioner General of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Major General Anthony Ntem, explained that the Commission is constitutionally mandated to manage and protect Ghana’s International Land, Maritime and Airspace Boundaries. He noted that many colonial-era boundary markers have either been overgrown by vegetation or destroyed by human activity over the years, rendering the reaffirmation exercise necessary to safeguarding Ghana’s sovereignty and avert future conflicts.
Similar exercises, he added, are being undertaken across West Africa in close collaboration with neighbouring states.
The Commissioner General recalled that the pillar construction phase of the joint reaffirmation exercise officially began in July 2025. This was marked by a stone-laying ceremony at New Town in the Jomoro Municipality where the Terminus Pillar (Boundary Pillar 55), is located.
A joint staking out exercise, where locations for the pillars were marked, followed the ceremony between November and December 2025. The construction of the pillars itself commenced in January 2026 and the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces are the contractors executing the project.
A detailed briefing by the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) from the 48 Engineers, Lieutenant Clifford Abrokwah, revealed that the 37 pillars for stage 1 include 12 Main Pillars, 22 Intermediate Pillars, 2 Border Crossing Pillars and 1 Terminus Pillar. As of now, 4 main pillars and 10 intermediate pillars have been completed, with construction ongoing along the boundary. The OIC also indicated that the working party have been reinforced to support the initial team to accelerate progress and to ensure the project meets its deadline, despite the physically demanding nature of the work. The team also noted support received from the Forestry Commission in the execution of the project.
The team also stopped at the Ghana Revenue Authority checkpoint at the Elubo border, where they paid a courtesy call on the Sector Commander DCOI Joshua Krakue. The Commander assured the Commission of the GRA’s full support and commitment to safeguarding Ghana’s boundaries.
