Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the Ranking Member of the Committee on Defense and Interior, has launched a blistering critique against the government’s recent joint “show of force,” in the capital, describing the deployment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Police Service as a “misplaced priority,” and a “bizarre” waste of national resources.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Hon. Ntim Fordjour argued that parading armored vehicles and heavy weaponry through the peaceful streets of Accra – specifically in front of the Supreme Court and High Court – serves no tangible security objective while actual conflict zones remain underserved.
“We saw on the streets of Accra, troops that have been deployed from all over the security agencies, from military, police, fire service, and all the agencies, immigration. When we asked the purpose they said they are showing force. What force ostensibly do they want to show on the street of Accra?”
Hon. John Ntim Fordjour, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defense and Interior Committee
For Hon. Fordjour, the visibility of elite troops on the High Streets of Accra is a superficial exercise that ignores the deteriorating security situation in flashpoints across the northern and western belts of the country.
He maintained that the “might” of the state is being showcased where it is least needed, leaving vulnerable populations in the lurch.
At the heart of the Minority’s grievance is the stark contrast between the tranquility of Accra and the escalating violence in the Gbinyiri area. Hon. Fordjour pointed to the displacement of 48,000 citizens, with 23,000 pushed into refugee status in neighboring Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, as the primary evidence of the government’s strategic failure.
He argued that if the state intended to deter crime or reassure residents, the deployment should have been directed toward these volatile borders rather than the judiciary square. “If you want to show force and if you want to march out your armored vehicles, Accra is not the street,” Fordjour stated.
The Ranking Member further observed that even the long-standing instability in Bawku continues to simmer despite mediation efforts by the Otumfuo.
For the Minority, the decision to ignore these urgent hotspots in favor of a metropolitan parade suggests that the government is more interested in the optics of power than the actual provision of security to those in peril.
Breach of Parliamentary Oversight
Beyond the geographical misallocation of troops, the Minority raised serious concerns regarding the procedural legality of the operation.
Hon. Fordjour accused the Ministers of Defense and Interior of bypassing the necessary constitutional channels, specifically failing to consult the Committee on Defense and Interior before authorizing a large-scale joint operation.
This lack of transparency, he argued, sets a dangerous precedent for executive overreach in the security sector.
“It was misplaced, it was inappropriate, and they carried us out without consulting Parliament. These actions cannot be allowed to continue. The executive cannot be allowed to take decisions that are inappropriate and just to get away with it”
Hon. John Ntim Fordjour, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defense and Interior Committee
According to the Minority, this lack of consultation has left the legislature in the dark regarding the specific “security infractions,” the government was attempting to prevent in Accra.
Without a clear objective, the Minority views the fuel, logistical costs, and personnel hours spent on the Accra march as an unjustifiable drain on the public purse at a time when the state’s coffers are under immense pressure.
The Galamsey Irony
Hon. Ntim Fordjour also drew a sharp parallel between the “show of force,” in the city and the struggles of the military in illegal mining (galamsey) sites.
He noted the irony of security agencies parading with high-tech weaponry in front of peaceful citizens while, in the hinterlands, soldiers are reportedly being harassed and pursued by galamsey operatives.
“We have Galamsey sites that have military Officers being chased in broad daylight,” Hon. Fordjour said, arguing that the true measure of a security apparatus is its ability to restore order in areas where the lives of officers are actually in danger.
The Minority concluded by urging the government to recalibrate its security strategy. They contended that the “deterrence” the state seeks to achieve through these exercises can only be effective if it is demonstrated in the face of actual lawlessness and insurgency.
As the House prepares to rise for the year, the demand for a redirected security focus remains a point of intense debate, with the Minority vowing to hold the Minister of Interior and the Minister of Defense accountable for what they term a “complete waste of resources.”
