Security analyst Samuel Owusu has called on President John Dramani Mahama to urgently appoint a substantive Minister for Defence within the next two to three weeks, warning that continued delays could expose Ghana to national security vulnerabilities and slow critical decision-making.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Monday, October 27, Mr. Owusu described the prolonged vacancy following the death of Dr. Edward Omane Boamah as “untenable” for a ministry as crucial as Defence.
He explained that while Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson currently serves as caretaker, his dual responsibilities limit his ability to make decisive interventions on national security and defence matters.
Mr. Owusu urged President Mahama to act swiftly, saying, “I think the president, by now, would have had a lot of consultations and might have discussed with the national security and all the security advisers.
So, in a moment, I think the president should be able to do this. It shouldn’t travel beyond another two, three weeks, and we still have the issue hanging. No, I don’t think the president will be happy with that. So, I’m anticipating that the president should do that as a matter of urgency to name someone to take responsibility for the ministry.”
He warned that waiting beyond that period could result in unnecessary delays in executing key defence programmes, affect collaboration with international security partners, and create internal challenges within the Ghana Armed Forces.
Mr. Owusu added that the president has capable individuals around him who can take up the portfolio and restore normalcy to the Defence Ministry, emphasizing that the ministry’s stability is vital to safeguarding Ghana’s peace and security.
His remarks follow similar concerns raised by the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, who described the government’s failure to appoint a substantive Defence Minister nearly three months after Dr. Boamah’s death as “dangerous and reckless.”
Rev. Fordjour warned that the prolonged vacancy poses serious risks to Ghana’s territorial integrity and national security at a time when instability and threats are on the rise, describing the delay as “a dangerous gamble” by the government.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
