The Minority has expressed its disapproval of the Minister for the Interior, Foreign Affairs, and the acting Minister of Defence for not providing the House with a briefing regarding the killing of eight Ghanaians in Burkina Faso, one week following the tragic event.
According to the Minority, the ministers’ failure to appear signifies a significant oversight in the government’s security management and response strategies, characterising the situation as a breakdown of the state’s security apparatus in safeguarding its citizens, especially those travelling to high-risk nations.
After a joint committee meeting of the Minority, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, the Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee and Member of Parliament for Assin South, addressed the media in Parliament, stating that Parliament had been waiting for over a week without any official briefing from the ministers responsible for security.
“We have waited in Parliament for over a week. None of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Defence or the Interior has had the courtesy to appear before the House to update us,” he stated.
He revealed that the Minority members on the Foreign Affairs, Defence, Interior, and Security and Intelligence Committees had formally written to summon the three ministers to clarify the details surrounding the attack.
“We sought to understand what contributed to the attack, what has been done so far, and what mechanisms are being put in place to prevent future occurrences. Clearly, there was a failure on the part of the government to put in place preventive measures,” he said.
Mr. Fordjour further mentioned that the Minority has suggested what he referred to as credible security and diplomatic measures to enhance the protection of Ghanaian citizens both domestically and internationally.
“Never again must such terrorist killings occur. We are mindful of the geopolitical complexities within the sub-region and insist on sound government policies, effective mechanisms and appropriate collaboration with external partners to safeguard our citizens,” he stressed.
In the meantime, Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, characterised the incident as a terrorist attack necessitating prompt government action.
He urged for a bipartisan parliamentary investigation into the murders, the renegotiation of the Accra Initiative, and the swift establishment of Forward Operating Bases to enhance Ghana’s border monitoring and security framework.
The Minority asserted that safeguarding Ghanaian lives should continue to be a paramount national concern, especially in light of the increasing insecurity in the West African sub-region.
