John Ntim Fordjour, Member of Parliament for Assin South, has described the killing of eight Ghanaian traders in Burkina Faso as evidence of shortcomings in Ghana’s security preparedness and travel risk assessment framework.
Addressing Parliament on February 19 in his role as Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. Ntim Fordjour said the February 14 attack occurred in a region long known for extremist activity and instability.
The assault took place in a conflict-prone area of Burkina Faso, part of the wider Sahel belt where armed groups have intensified operations in recent years.
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“Threats Did Not Start Yesterday”
“The terrorism threats and crises within our neighbouring countries, especially Burkina Faso, are not in doubt or did not start from yesterday,” he told the House.
The lawmaker argued that Ghana’s security agencies should have anticipated the dangers facing traders who travel through volatile territories for cross-border commerce.
He stressed that a formal travel advisory warning citizens about heightened risks could have prevented the tragedy.
“Mr Speaker, these killings are avoidable,” he said, describing the absence of prior caution as a serious oversight.
Call for Travel Advisory Review
Rev. Ntim Fordjour called for a comprehensive review of Ghana’s travel advisory system, urging authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering, public communication and coordination with regional security partners.
With cross-border trade remaining vital for livelihoods in border communities, he said proactive risk assessments must become routine policy rather than reactive measures.
The MP maintained that protecting Ghanaian nationals abroad requires not only diplomatic engagement but clear and timely security alerts when threats escalate in neighbouring states.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on March 9, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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