Jinapor: Ghana must reinforce security architecture amid sahel terror surge

Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has urged national security authorities to intensify efforts in protecting citizens and strengthening regional security cooperation following the tragic terrorist attack on Ghanaian traders in Burkina Faso that claimed the lives of seven persons.

In an interview on Joy FM’s Newsnight on Monday, February 16, Samuel Jinapor expressed serious concern over the incident, describing it as “deeply disturbing” and a wake-up call to strengthen Ghana’s security apparatus.

“What has really happened is such a disturbing development and should be a big wake-up call to Ghana’s national security architecture,” he stated, calling for immediate action to tackle threats posed by terrorism in the region as a whole.

He further pointed out that the February 14 incident cannot be treated as a separate event, as it highlights the growing dangers of terrorism in the West African sub region, especially in neighboring countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, where extremist activities have become very common.

“W need to reinforce our security strategies as a country,” he said, “the bloc has been rocked by acts of terrorism on several occasions, more particularly in the countries surrounding Ghana, we seriously need to enhance our security architecture.”

“Ghana cannot afford to disregard the rising insecurity in these regions,” he warned, urging the government to improve intelligence gathering, enhance border security, and collaborate more effectively with regional allies to prevent any “potential spillover effects into the country.”

The February 14 attack occurred in Titao, northern Burkina Faso, where a group of traders and truck drivers were ambushed by militants, leading to the deaths of seven Ghanaian traders while several others were left injured.

In response to the attack, Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak announced on Monday that the government is working with authorities in Burkina Faso to ensure the safe evacuation of the survivors but disclosed that the seven individuals who lost their lives have been buried in Burkina Faso as their remains “were in no shape to be transported back to Ghana.”