The Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, has warned that any further deterioration of security in Burkina Faso could leave Ghana exposed to terrorist attacks.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, July 21, 2025, Dr Boamah said Ghana’s northern borders remain exposed and must be protected with the completion of Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) currently under construction.
“Because, note that, if the terrorists overcome the system in Burkina Faso, Ghana becomes the next target,” Dr Boamah said. “And that is what makes managing the situation in Burkina Faso and its environs very, very important. Because it will be one of the entry points.”
He said the Ghana Armed Forces is setting up a number of forward operating bases along the northern frontiers as a deterrent to extremist groups operating from the Sahel.
“That is why I spoke about the forward operating bases that almost are enveloping the northern borders of the country,” Dr Boamah explained. “And that’s why we are committed to completing them.”
Dr Boamah also said President John Mahama’s recent visit to the military-led governments in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger had opened a new path for regional security cooperation.
“President Mahama’s visit to the three Sahel countries was a game changer,” he told reporters. “The three Sahel countries had lost trust and confidence in ECOWAS… Fortunately, with Ghanaians giving President Mahama a resounding victory, he became president and embarked on that game-changing trip. It is helping exchange of information.”
His comments come amid growing fears that jihadist groups operating in the Sahel may begin to target coastal West African countries, particularly in light of recent military takeovers and the declining influence of ECOWAS.
Dr Boamah declined to provide operational details but said the Ghana Armed Forces and the intelligence services are on high alert and preparing for any possibility.
