In an urgent call to reform Ghana’s military and improve Civil-Military relations in the country, security analyst, Col. Festus Aboagye (rtd.) is calling for an immediate end to the involvement of the Ghana Armed Forces in all commercialized security activities.
The retired military officer is seeking the phasing out of all private military security contracts for the army to refocus on national defence and professionalism.
In a policy brief copied to The High Street Journal titled “Restoring Civilian Democratic Control: Reforming Ghana’s Civil-Military Relations”, the security consultant contended that the commercialization of military services became rife under the Akufo-Addo-led government leading to several military-civilian clashes resulting in casualties and injuries.
Col. Aboagye observes that it has become a normal practice in recent times to see the military providing security protection services under formal contract to private persons, lands in dispute, businesses, and more often foreign-owned mining companies.
“There has been a troubling trend of military involvement in land guarding, directly and indirectly, sometimes under military contracts. For instance, in Danfa near Aburi, soldiers have been seen protecting land allegedly owned by Chinese companies. Additionally, the military has reportedly entered into contracts to provide security for private residences and businesses, protecting high-end properties and assets,” Col. Aboagye narrated.
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He further added, “In 2021 over 30 fully armed military men were protecting miners who were degrading the forest of Manso in the Ashanti region, with allegations of collusion between military personnel and illegal miners.”
Despite the revenues generated from these services to help military units build accommodations and other facilities for troops with commanders leading the charge to seek contracts from private entities, Col. Aboagye argues that it has serious implications.
The military’s involvement in such commercial activities to generate revenue, according to Col. Aboagye weakens their professionalism and contravenes their core mandate.
This private commercial arrangement, he says, “has compromised its constitutional mandate and professional integrity. This deterioration threatens democratic and institutional consolidation, public trust, and national stability. Without immediate intervention, Ghana risks further democratic backsliding.”
He is therefore calling on the incoming government to as a matter of urgency end all private commercial services contracted by the Ghana Armed Forces. He is convinced that such services can be provided by private security firms and the police.
He calls for “ending commercialized security activities by terminating private security contracts, creating alternative arrangements, and enforcing service penalties for violations is crucial. These steps will help to restore professionalism and accountability in security operations.
As the military is removed from such roles, the government must prioritize addressing resource and development shortfalls facing the service.
