By: Kenneth Appiah Bani
The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has sharply criticised the government over the deployment of Ghanaian troops to Benin and Jamaica, describing the move as unconstitutional and lacking transparency.
According to Rev. Fordjour, the deployment of Ghana Armed Forces personnel outside the country without prior approval from Parliament violates established constitutional and parliamentary procedures. He insisted that any decision to commit Ghanaian troops to foreign missions whether for peacekeeping, training, or bilateral security cooperation must first be subjected to parliamentary scrutiny and approval.
In a statement, the Assin South Member of Parliament questioned the government’s motives, asking, “What is the government hiding?” He expressed concern that Parliament, which represents the will of the people, was sidelined in decisions with serious national security, financial, and diplomatic implications.
Rev. Fordjour emphasized that Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution requires parliamentary approval for international agreements and military engagements involving Ghana. He warned that bypassing Parliament sets a dangerous precedent and undermines democratic accountability and civilian oversight of the armed forces.
The Ranking Member further noted that Ghana has a strong history of parliamentary involvement in decisions relating to external military deployments, particularly under United Nations, ECOWAS, or bilateral arrangements. He argued that deviation from this practice raises legitimate concerns about governance, transparency, and respect for the rule of law.
He therefore called on the government to immediately brief Parliament on the nature, scope, duration, and cost of the deployments to Benin and Jamaica, and to regularize the process by seeking the necessary approval. Rev. Fordjour also urged Parliament to assert its constitutional authority to prevent future unilateral decisions on critical national security matters.
As of the time of filing this report, the government is yet to officially respond to the concerns raised by the Ranking Member.
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