Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong, has warned that the growing influence of violent extremist groups in the Sahel poses an increasing threat to Ghana and the wider West African region.
Speaking on behalf of Deputy Defence Minister Ernest Brogya Gyenfi at the 50th Anniversary Republic Day Public Lecture held at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Teshie, Lt. Gen. Agyapong said the evolving security situation in the region requires urgent and coordinated action from governments and security institutions.
According to him, extremist groups operating in the Sahel have expanded their activities into the northern parts of several countries bordering Ghana and continue to move southward.
He cautioned that Ghana is not immune to the consequences of the instability, citing the killing of Ghanaian traders in Titao as evidence of the growing regional threat.
Lt. Gen. Agyapong also highlighted increasing insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, warning that criminal activities at sea are becoming more sophisticated and increasingly linked to organised crime networks and the financing of extremist operations.
He pointed to recent attacks on Ghanaian fishermen, including the theft of outboard motors and incidents in which fishing crews were abandoned at sea.
Such developments, he said, threaten the livelihoods of coastal communities and undermine the country’s maritime economy.
The Defence Chief described Ghana as facing a complex security environment, with extremist violence spreading from the north while maritime crime intensifies along its southern coastline.
In response to these challenges, he disclosed that the government is undertaking efforts to strengthen the Ghana Armed Forces through enhanced border protection measures, improved maritime surveillance capabilities and increased operational preparedness.
Lt. Gen. Agyapong further stressed the need for stronger collaboration among policymakers, security experts and academic institutions to develop effective strategies for addressing emerging threats.
He also encouraged military officers undergoing training to cultivate strategic thinking, professionalism and ethical leadership to better equip themselves for the changing security landscape.
Concluding his remarks, the Defence Chief said the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College must continue adapting to modern security realities, describing the worsening situation in the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea as clear indicators of the challenges confronting the region.
