172 Ivorians flee to Ghana amid election tensions

A total of 172 Ivorians have crossed into Ghana over the past two weeks, seeking asylum in anticipation of political instability ahead of the October 2025 presidential election in Côte d’Ivoire.

The refugees are currently being housed at the Ampain Refugee Camp in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.

The Ghana Refugee Board’s Executive Secretary, Tetteh Padi, confirmed the influx, noting that the asylum seekers believe the current political tension in their home country "could get worse".

“We have some Ivorians who have come into the country to seek asylum based on the fact that they predict or believe that there is a bit of tension leading up to the presidential election,” Mr. Padi told the Daily Graphic. “They think that it could get worse, so they have come into the country to seek asylum.”

The latest influx of refugees is a grim reminder of Côte d’Ivoire’s turbulent political history.

The country's stability has been tested by President Alassane Ouattara’s controversial decision to run for a fourth term, a move that has stirred widespread anger and protests.

This is compounded by the fact that several key opposition figures, including former President Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam, have been barred from running.

The political climate is reminiscent of the 2010 post-election crisis, which left an estimated 3,000 people dead and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, with many seeking refuge in Ghana.

Mr. Padi indicated that the Ghana Refugee Board, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has registered the new arrivals and is providing them with shelter and other necessities.

The Ampain Refugee Camp, which was originally established in 2011 to accommodate Ivorian refugees from the previous crisis, also hosts Sudanese refugees who have been arriving weekly.

“They have been given shelter and whatever else they will need, but we are not giving food as it stands at this moment,” Mr. Padi said, expressing concern that the numbers could continue to rise. He voiced hope that the election would be peaceful, which would enable the refugees to return to their country.

Ghana, which is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, has long been a haven for displaced people in the West African sub-region.

As of late 2024, the UNHCR reported that Ghana hosted over 17,300 refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Burkina Faso, Togo, Liberia, and Sudan.