Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, has slammed President John Dramani Mahama for what he describes as a reckless and dangerous inaction in failing to appoint a substantive Minister for Defence nearly three months after the passing of Dr Edward Omane Boamah.
According to the Assin South MP, the prolonged vacancy at the Defence Ministry poses a serious threat to Ghana’s national security and territorial integrity.
“Nearly three months without a substantive Defence Minister is a dangerous gamble and a reckless potential compromise of our territorial integrity. What a dangerous inaction!” he stated.
He lamented that the delay comes at a time when the country’s security situation is rapidly deteriorating.
“The security of our country is on the path of rapid deterioration — Gbenyiri, Sampa, Bawku, galamsey, and others — with over 23,000 citizens having fled to neighbouring countries as refugees,” he stressed.
“No serious country will run for three months without a substantive Defence Minister. Is there no suitable person in the NDC who can be trusted by President Mahama to fill the worthy shoes of my departed honourable friend Dr Omane Boamah?” he quizzed.
Rev Ntim Fordjour further wondered what challenges might be preventing the President from naming a replacement.
“What difficulty might the President be facing for which he has not been able to find a suitable replacement for the late Minister?” he asked.
“We demand the immediate appointment of a substantive Minister for Defence to lead the spirited collective action to retool the Ghana Armed Forces and sustain the territorial integrity of our beloved country,” he asserted.
The position of Minister for Defence became vacant following the tragic military helicopter crash on August 6, 2025, which claimed the lives of Dr Edward Omane Boamah and seven others, including Minister for Environment and Science, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, and other senior government officials.
The delegation was reportedly on an official mission to the Ashanti Region when their Harbin Z-9EH military helicopter went down in the Adansi Akrofuom District under severe weather conditions.
Since the tragedy, the Ministry of Defence has been without a substantive head, with the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, temporarily overseeing its affairs.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
