The Minority in Parliament has criticised the government over the recent deployment of Ghanaian troops to Jamaica for post-hurricane reconstruction and allegedly to Benin following a recent coup attempt, describing the actions as procedurally flawed and misplaced.
According to the Minority, the troops, drawn from the 48th Engineering Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, were deployed without prior parliamentary approval, raising concerns over transparency, accountability, and the proper use of public funds.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament on Wednesday, December 17, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee, said that while the Minority supports Ghana’s tradition of assisting friendly nations, the government failed to follow constitutional processes for such overseas deployments.
“Parliament was taken by surprise by reports of troops being sent to Benin and then to Jamaica for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, without any formal briefing or request for approval,” Rev. Fordjour said.
He added that Parliament should have been consulted to examine the details of the deployments, including their duration, legal basis, and financial implications.
“We have no objection to assisting these countries,” he said. “However, the government did not follow due process to allow Parliament to interrogate the modalities, framework, cost, and duration of these operations.”
Rev. Fordjour also questioned why Parliament was consulted when the government sought to procure military helicopters but bypassed the House for troop deployments abroad, insisting that the same level of scrutiny should apply.
He further demanded clarity on the number of troops sent to Benin, the protocols governing the mission, its expected duration, and total cost to the state.
The Minority accused the government of engaging in misguided deployments and warned that it would not allow taxpayers’ funds to be spent without proper oversight and accountability.
The party has called on the Minister for Defence and all relevant agencies to provide immediate answers regarding the troop deployments.
