The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee has warned that Ghana risks sending the wrong signal to hostile actors amid what he describes as a prolonged leadership vacuum in the defence sector.
Rev. John Ntim Fordjour renewed his call for the immediate appointment of a substantive Defence Minister, linking the delay to growing security vulnerabilities, including the recent armed attack on fishermen off the coast of Senya Beraku in the Awutu Senya District of the Central Region.
The incident, which occurred at sea, saw armed men reportedly fire warning shots, hold fishermen at gunpoint and seize seven outboard motors, generators and other valuables, leaving the victims stranded.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, Rev. Ntim Fordjour described the development as deeply troubling and reflective of broader institutional weaknesses.
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“Piracy is becoming a growing concern. The crisis in the defence sector is alarming. For the past few months, we have urged the President to appoint a substantive Minister of Defence. The failure to do so has made our country vulnerable to external threats,” he said.
The Assin South Member of Parliament argued that sustained inaction at the top of the defence establishment undermines confidence in Ghana’s preparedness to confront both maritime and cross-border threats.
“It is reckless and dangerous that the President has taken no action in this regard. The message we are sending to external actors is that we do not take our defence seriously,” he added.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour maintained that recent security incidents point to the need for stronger coordination and strategic oversight. He contended that the absence of a substantive minister weakens policy direction at a time when Ghana faces what he described as evolving and increasingly complex threats within the sub-region.
He cited not only the attack on the fishermen but also the recent killing of eight Ghanaian tomato traders in Burkina Faso as evidence of mounting security challenges that require decisive political leadership.
According to him, Ghana cannot afford complacency in matters of national security, particularly given rising instability in parts of West Africa and growing concerns over maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
