Burkina Faso Attack: Ntim Fordjour accuses government of security lapses

The Ranking Member of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, has criticised the government over what he described as serious security and intelligence failures following the killing of Ghanaian traders in Burkina Faso.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the Assin South Member of Parliament said the attack, which occurred on February 14, 2026, could have been prevented, describing the incident as “avoidable, preventable, and deeply troubling.”

Eight Ghanaian traders were reportedly killed in a terrorist attack while conducting business activities in Burkina Faso.

“These were breadwinners, pillars of their homes, and citizens whose only ‘crime’ was trading to feed families back home,” Rev Ntim Fordjour said.

According to him, the incident highlights weaknesses in Ghana’s security coordination and preparedness within a sub-region facing increasing extremist threats.

Rev Ntim Fordjour argued that the security risks in Burkina Faso were widely known and questioned why precautionary measures were not taken to protect Ghanaian traders travelling to high-risk areas.

“The geopolitics of the sub-region is public knowledge. The threats did not begin yesterday,” he stated.

MPs clash in Parliament over killing of Ghanaian traders in Burkina Faso

He questioned the absence of timely travel advisories, clear identification of high-risk zones, effective intelligence sharing, and security arrangements such as safe-passage or escort systems for traders operating in the region.

“Was corridor threat mapping conducted? What enhanced security mechanisms were activated, knowing the dangers in that region?” he asked.

The Ranking Member also raised concerns about what he described as a leadership gap in the Defence Ministry, noting that Ghana has operated without a substantive Defence Minister for seven months.

According to him, the situation has weakened regional security coordination with neighbouring countries, including Burkina Faso.

“You cannot leave the Defence Ministry headless and expect proactive regional security coordination,” he said.

Rev Ntim Fordjour further criticised the government’s response after the attack, stating that six days after the incident, no high-level ministerial delegation had visited Burkina Faso and no minister had briefed Parliament on the matter.

He also alleged that the victims were buried before Ghanaian authorities could complete proper identification and repatriation processes.

“Our compatriots were buried without dignity. Their families denied closure. This is unacceptable,” he said.

He compared the response to a previous incident in which Parliament was briefed on the same day fatalities were recorded, questioning what accounted for the delay in the current case.

“This situation demonstrates negligence on the part of the state and those whose responsibility it is to protect our citizens,” he added.

Rev Ntim Fordjour called on the Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, and National Security to provide answers and outline measures to prevent similar incidents involving Ghanaian citizens abroad.

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