The British High Commission in Ghana says it is deeply concerned about the refugee situation in the northern part of Ghana.

The population of refugees and asylum seekers in Ghana has increased to more than 18,000, following the influx of Burkina Faso nationals fleeing violence in the country.

The Ghana Refugee Board says it has successfully registered over 3, 200 Burkinabe asylum seekers as of last week, many of whom have settled in the Upper East, North East and other regions of the north.

The UK’s Northern Ghana Attaché, Paul Edwards said as an international partner, the UK care about refugees, their condition and how the influx is affecting Ghana.  

He has been touring the Upper East Region where some of the people fleeing Burkina Faso because of the violent activities of armed insurgent groups are seeking refuge.

Speaking to JoyNews' correspondent in Bolgatanga, Mr Edwards said his tour of the Upper East Region was to help the UK understand what is really on the ground after they heard the recent reports that some of the refugees were being returned to their country.

There have been media reports suggesting that refugees from Burkina Faso, particularly of the Fulbe and Fulani extraction were being targeted, rounded up and returned to their country – an allegation the government of Ghana has categorically denied.

During the tour, Mr Edwards met with officials of the UNHCR and also visited a reception centre where some of the refugees were being housed in the Bawku West district.

He said he also met with the Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu who assured him that there was no targeting in the repatriation of refugees to Burkina Faso.  

“It’s been great to get the assurances from the Ghanaian government that they are not targeting the Fulani/Fulbe community and secondly, that they are not forcing people back over the border, who are vulnerable”, he said.

The UK’s Northern Ghana Attaché said his visit was also aimed at having the right information as part of a broader picture of what was happening in Ghana.

“So, you’ve got Burkina Faso, you’ve got the conflict there; how does it affect Ghana, what does the future look like? Those [are the] important things for us as partners of Ghana and International friends of Ghana”, Paul Edwards said.

He said during his visit, there were many different stories and perspectives about the refugee situation and that would help the British High Commission to understand, and make informed decisions even regionally.

The UK is also concerned about how the situation could impact security within the West African Sub-region, especially Ghana.

The UK is one of Ghana’s key partners in fighting crime and terrorism.

The Accra Initiative is one of the areas of partnership between the two countries and other international partners.