With the demise of the earlier Minister of Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, on August 6, 2025, it has been a month and some weeks as of the time of scripting this piece.

The nation has nonetheless not heard the President of the Republic, John Dramani Mahama, giving a contact of any appointment with regard to a substantive Minister of Defense (MOD). Although security companies such as a result of the National Security, National Intelligence Bureau, Ghana Police, and Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) are executing their mandate, it is vital to have a substantive MOD as rapidly as doable for plenty of causes.

1. The Defence sector is the top-most amongst every sector in any nation subsequently requires continuity by altering officers as rapidly as doable to fill throughout the gap. This ensures continuity in dealing with threats and being abreast with the altering dynamics of threats.
2. The Ministry of Defence requires a substantive minister for path and objective. The Ministry of Defence is at current having an Acting MOD throughout the explicit particular person of Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson. In an performing functionality, one is rapidly ‘holding the forth’ until anyone is appointed fully. Dr. Cassiel could be Ghana’s Finance Minister and on the same time Chairman of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development’s Board of Governors as on the time of this piece. This indicators the quantum of workload he has. The Defence ministry is a extremely delicate firm established to ensure Ghana’s territorial integrity and sovereignty by the use of the formulation of vital insurance coverage insurance policies and ideas geared towards struggle readiness of the GAF.
3. A substantive Minister of Defence provides govt function with regard to the protection space. Defence as an thought in itself is a extremely vital pillar with regards to nationwide security. A substantive minister would assure clear and swift decision-making. Decision makers mustn’t neglect that, the Defence Minister is part of Cabinet subsequently an vital decide with regards to alternative making that bothers on not solely security however moreover human rights, justice, and peace. 
4. Reference to my article on January 10, 2025 regarding “Imminent modifications inside some key security companies, state institutions, and its implications”, I mentioned that “… [t]he incoming Defense Minister … ought to have the experience and knowledge not solely on inside security factors and tools of the nation however moreover the professionalism to collaborate with defence counterparts in neighboring states”. It simply is not a doubt that the late Defence Minister was very intelligent and abreast with security factors along with having a wonderful rapport with the Service Chiefs. The new Defense Minister should be anyone who directions respect from the numerous heads of the protection companies, Service Chiefs, and should be abreast with current security dynamics not solely in Ghana however moreover contained in the sub-region.
5. Inter-agency coordination and collaboration is essential throughout the face of many threats we face. Leadership is paramount on this regard for the wants of strategic protection planning and execution. The completely different most important side of coordination is in accordance with inter-state Defense collaborations throughout the sub-region and on the worldwide entrance. A newly appointed Defence Minister will perform options, which contains strengthening navy ties with completely different states, sub-regional blocks and worldwide institutions geared towards navy collaboration, assist, joint teaching exercises, and functionality developing. This supplies the Armed Forces new dynamics to defence and security mechanisms. Effective collaboration moreover promotes coordination among the many many quite a few arms of the Armed Forces. Lately, our males in uniform have come beneath excessive criticism regarding their technique of coping with factors throughout the civilian space. When coordination is environment friendly with state security companies, it ought to final result to an improved civil-military oversight. An appointed Minister of Defence will assure an enhanced coordination between the President, quite a few security companies, service chiefs, and the civilian populace. What we have got to know is that, anyone performing in a functionality of Defence Minister might lack the authority and zeal to push for fundamental safety agendas along with the ultimate welfare of the personnel’s throughout the sector.

What are some the threats throughout the nation that warrants a substantive Minister of Defence?

Ghana faces rising threats equal to terrorism & violent extremism close to our borders, illegal mining, communal clashes, inter-ethnic conflicts, chieftaincy conflicts inflicting internally and externally displaced people.

Furthermore, youth unrest, youth radicalization, political vigilantism, extreme unemployment, illicit medicine utilization, misinformation and disinformation, armed theft, proliferation of small arms and lightweight weapons, organized crime on the extreme sea and in-land, and cyber security threats all add to the threats. These are merely plenty of the numerous threats that proceed to test our security construction, emergency preparedness and operational functionality.

A substantive minister can mobilize belongings and lead responses efficiently working intently with the Interior Minister and Service Chiefs. Others might argue that these are for the Interior Minister to take care of or see them as inside issues of safety subsequently does not primarily identify for the Defence Minister to be involved.

However, I’m talking in regards to the safety of the nation usually (dealing with threats inside and exterior) and by no means one side of inside security. All these requires the attention of a substantive Defence Minister, together with the Interior Minister to formulate ideas and take care of these pressing factors.

Let me merely make a few components on what I take into consideration vital areas to take care of regarding the threats the nation faces. With regard to the terrorism & violent extremism, the state of affairs in Burkina Faso and Mali poses challenges notably throughout the Northern part of Ghana making an attempt on the inter-ethnic conflicts and proliferation of weapons.

These conflicts notably the Bawku battle, which I’ve re-iterated sooner than, is perhaps a conduit for some armed and felony components to proceed taking profit. On illegal mining, there are requires the central authorities to declare state-of-emergency to deal decisively with the menace. Instead, the federal authorities has reasonably opted for declaration of security zones.

Declaring a geographical area a security zone in itself entails a lot, I might share insights regarding that in a single different write-up. I do not intend to sound pessimistic nonetheless the battle in opposition to galamsey is perhaps a misplaced set off if we do not implement the needful.

We have not seen one thing however, the precise battle has not started and if it does, we couldn’t have the power to take care of it. The conflicts we’re at current grappling with services on Chieftaincy and land related elements. The inside minister has tried by establishing a committee to offer you a roadmap in path of addressing the Gbenyiri battle.

The Nkwanta battle could be watching us, that’s merely to name a few. Our approaches have been largely direct prevention (curfews), which focuses on dealing with eminent threats with out rather a lot consideration to the structural approaches. Proliferation of weapons has been an issue to not solely security companies however moreover the Commission in-charge of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Do we have got a method forward regarding the porous borders the place these weapons come by the use of? What is the state firm on weapons doing? How are we dealing with the politicization of conflicts? Have we acknowledged stakeholders who earnings from conflicts subsequently fund them?

The Council of State ought to call on the President to ponder appointing a substantive Minister of Defence as a matter of urgency. The Council of State must advise the president to appoint anyone who will command respect from the Defence sector as a consequence of its delicate nature.

The Parliamentary select Committee on Defence and Interior must wade into this issue and identify on the President to appoint anyone. The Defence sector is a needed one, subsequently the need to have its Minister promptly.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not primarily signify the views or protection of Multimedia Group Limited.