Former Defence Minister and Bimbilla MP, Dominic Nitiwul, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama over what he describes as a dangerous leadership gap in Ghana’s security architecture following the absence of a substantive Defence Minister.

Speaking on the recent terrorist attack on Ghanaian tomato traders at Burkina Faso, Mr. Nitiwul argued that Ghana’s national security response had been weakened because the Defence Ministry remains without a substantive head at a critical moment.

“That is why I kept on calling that the President should have appointed a Defence Minister, because by this time the minister for defence should have been on the flight to Burkina Faso with his team,” he stated.

According to him, the responsibility of engaging Burkina Faso authorities and coordinating a military-level response does not fall within the mandate of the Interior Minister.

“This is not the job of the Interior Minister. He is my friend, but unfortunately, that is not his job. If he goes there, he will go and meet the Defence Minister. It is soldiers who are fighting the terrorists. It is not the Interior Minister's job,” he stressed.

Mr. Nitiwul further explained that the Interior Ministry’s jurisdiction does not extend beyond Ghana’s borders, particularly in matters requiring military intelligence and cross-border defence coordination.

“Unfortunately, the Interior Minister's job ends at Paga, the border. It doesn’t go beyond the border. It is the duty of the Minister for Defence with defence intelligence and national security to have gone, set up a team to have gone there, find out what happened, investigate, and make sure that they find out the circumstances that led to it, and also find out what is the best way to ensure that it does not happen again,” he added.

The former Defence Minister maintained that failure to appoint a substantive Defence Minister at such a time exposes Ghana’s security system to avoidable risks, especially as terrorism threats continue to affect parts of the Sahel region.

His comments add to the growing debate over Ghana’s preparedness and institutional coordination in responding to cross-border security threats.

Seven Ghanaian traders were killed in a terrorist attack in Titao on Sunday, February 15 and have already been laid to rest in northern Burkina Faso. The victims were burnt beyond recognition during the attack.

Earlier, the Minister for the Interior and National Security, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, revealed that an investigation had been launched into the unfortunate incident, which also left three men injured, while one woman remains in critical condition.

But speaking to the media, the Minister disclosed that the victims were buried due to the state of decomposition of their bodies. According to the minister, the deceased were a part of a group of 18 Ghanaian tomato traders and truck drivers.

“The seven bodies have been burnt beyond recognition. As at yesterday, we agreed they had begun decomposing and had to be buried. So the Burkina Faso authorities told us [Ghanaians] that they would bury them at 10 a.m today. But our women who are not really injured can go and witness and take as many pictures as possible," he added.

Additionally, the minister noted that “And the sad thing is that we lost seven of our men. Three of them got injured. One woman was critically injured, and others were not badly injured”.

Ghana and Burkina Faso has since shared a long border. Burkina Faso remains deeply affected by insurgent violence, with cross-border implications for neighboring countries like Ghana.

Northern Burkina Faso has faced persistent insecurity due to jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS. Attacks often target military posts, civilians, and traders moving across borders, disrupting local economies and cross-border trade.

Burkina Faso remains deeply affected by insurgent violence, with cross-border implications for neighboring countries like Ghana. In 2025, Burkina Faso’s military government’s banned grain and cereal exports.

To demonstrate their commitment, Burkinabe authorities have agreed to lift restrictions on 23 trucks carrying beans that were previously seized. Additional shipments of cereals meant for Ghana are also expected to be released in the coming days.

Ghana, which depends on imports from Burkina Faso, had faced concerns over possible supply shortages and rising prices due to the ban.

However, after President Mahama’s diplomatic engagements in the AES region, Gbevlo-Lartey is confident that relations between both countries have been strengthened.

During an interview with Blessed Sogah on Connect Africa, he explained: “President Mahama has successfully addressed the situation, and further discussions between key stakeholders from both sides will ensure a concrete resolution. The issue is largely settled. For instance, 23 trucks that had been held up have been released, and the Burkinabe authorities have assured President Mahama that the remaining eight will also be let through shortly.”