Ntim Fordjour questions gov’t over delay in appointing Defence Minister

Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama for failing to appoint a new Defence Minister nearly three months after Dr Edward Omane Boamah’s death.

The Assin South MP described the delay as “a reckless and dangerous inaction” that threatens 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!” Rev Fordjour stated on X.

He said the prolonged vacancy comes at a time when the nation faces worsening security challenges.

“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 lamented.

Rev Fordjour questioned the President’s inability to appoint a replacement, suggesting it reflects poor leadership.

“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 asked.

He also wondered what might be delaying the appointment. “What difficulty might the President be facing for which he has not been able to find a suitable replacement for the late Minister?” he queried.

The position became vacant following the August 6, 2025, military helicopter crash that killed Dr Omane Boamah and seven others, including the Minister for Environment and Science, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed.

The officials were on an assignment 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, Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has been temporarily managing the Defence Ministry in an acting capacity, assisted by Deputy Minister Samuel Brogya Genfi.