The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, John Ntim Fordjour, has raised concerns about what he describes as a rapid deterioration in Ghana’s peace and security under President John Dramani Mahama’s leadership.
In a strongly worded statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Mr. Ntim Fordjour accused the President of focusing more on political crackdowns than on addressing the pressing security issues confronting the nation.
“Mr. President, as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces and Chairman of the National Security Council, your top priority should be the alarming decline in Ghana’s peace and safety under your watch not persecuting your political opponents. Stop killing ants with a sledgehammer and fix our security,” he wrote.
He condemned what he called the increasing misuse of state security agencies to suppress dissent, describing it as a dangerous misallocation of resources and attention at a time when national security is under severe strain.
Highlighting Ghana’s declining position on the Global Peace Index, Mr. Fordjour noted that the country has dropped from being the second most peaceful in Africa and 38th globally in 2021, to seventh in Africa and 61st worldwide in 2025.
He further cited a disturbing rise in violent conflicts and instability across various regions, including the protracted conflict in Bawku, the deadly Gbinyiri clashes in the Bole-Sawla area, which have claimed over 31 lives, left many missing, and displaced more than 48,000 people, with 13,000 fleeing to Côte d’Ivoire as refugees and renewed violence in Nkwanta.
He also referenced a surge in mysterious killings, fatal festival-related clashes, and electoral violence in places such as Ablekuma North.
“These, unfortunately, are the defining features of your administration in less than a year,” he stated.
Mr. Fordjour urged President Mahama to urgently shift focus from partisan suppression to restoring the sense of safety and stability that Ghanaians enjoyed before his return to office on January 7, 2025.
