President John Dramani Mahama faces growing pressure to appoint a substantive Defence Minister nearly five months after Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson assumed acting responsibilities following the tragic death of Dr Edward Omane Boamah in a military helicopter crash.
Governance analyst Franklin Cudjoe, president of policy think tank IMANI Africa, used New Year’s Day to publicly urge Mahama to end what he described as the honeymoon period and make a permanent appointment. Please free Finance Minister Ato Forson from the additional duty as Defence Minister so he can focus and continue being fiscally disciplined, Cudjoe wrote in a Facebook post on January 1.
The August 6, 2025 helicopter crash killed eight people including Defence Minister Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed when their Ghana Air Force Z-9 aircraft went off radar shortly after departing Accra for Obuasi. The delegation was traveling to an event focused on combating galamsey when the helicopter crashed in the Sikaman Brofoyedru Forest near Adansi Akrofuom District in the Ashanti Region.
President Mahama immediately designated Finance Minister Ato Forson as Acting Defence Minister on August 7, maintaining his primary portfolio at Finance while adding defence responsibilities. Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah similarly assumed acting duties for Environment, Science and Technology following Muhammed’s death.
The prolonged arrangement has sparked debate about whether combining two demanding ministerial portfolios serves Ghana’s best interests, particularly given the Finance Ministry’s critical role in economic transformation following successful debt restructuring and restored macroeconomic stability. Ato Forson leads efforts to maintain fiscal discipline while implementing reforms under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and managing relationships with international creditors.
Ernest Brogya Genfi, the current Deputy Defence Minister, emerges as a leading candidate to replace Omane Boamah after working closely with the late minister and demonstrating competence in handling critical matters during the acting period. The former Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has represented the ministry at major events throughout late 2025.
At the October 31 Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Land Combat Firepower Demonstration at Bundase Training Camp, Genfi reaffirmed government commitment to historic retooling and modernization of military capabilities as part of Mahama’s Resetting Ghana Agenda. Government remains resolute in its commitment to retooling and modernising the Ghana Armed Forces, enhancing accommodation, training infrastructure, health systems, and strengthening the overall welfare of our servicemen and women, he stated.
Political commentators argue that Genfi is fit to continue from where his boss left off and should therefore be elevated to the substantive role. However, some observers suggest he appears young for such a senior portfolio despite the current administration giving critical roles to youth who are distinguishing themselves.
James Agalga, Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa North, also remains in contention for the Defence portfolio. The former Deputy Minister of Interior during previous NDC governments was surprisingly excluded from Mahama’s initial ministerial appointments when the administration assumed power in February 2025, leading to speculation about the reasons behind his omission.
Sources within government indicate Agalga is under consideration for the Defence position, barring any last minute changes. His experience in security matters during his previous Interior role could bolster the defence team if selected, though questions persist about why he failed to secure either a ministerial or deputy position in the original cabinet announced earlier in 2025.
Halen Adjoa Ntoso, MP for Krachi West constituency in the Volta Region, represents another potential candidate being discussed within government circles. Her appointment would mark a historic development under the Fourth Republic, making her the first woman to head the Defence Ministry since the return to constitutional rule in 1993.
Ntoso brings security expertise including a Master of Arts degree in Conflict, Peace and Security from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), a certificate in search and rescue from Singapore Coop, a certificate in mission from Church Army, and credentials in Women in Management middle level from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
The late Omane Boamah chaired the KAIPTC governing board and visited the center just two weeks before his death, engaging meaningfully with management and staff while demonstrating unwavering commitment to advancing peace and security in Ghana and across the continent. His strategic direction and vision for positioning KAIPTC as a continental center of excellence represented priorities that his successor would inherit.
Among Omane Boamah’s key initiatives were military welfare improvements, settling hidden defence debts accumulated under the previous administration, tackling galamsey through military operations, ensuring regional equity in military recruitments and implementing a recruitment drive to enlist 12,000 new soldiers. He also secured a €50 million European Union financed security support package for the Ghanaian armed forces before his untimely death.
The Defence Ministry has maintained operations under Ato Forson’s acting leadership, recently establishing a nine member advisory board chaired by the Finance Minister himself. Board membership includes Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Justice Minister Dominic Ayine, Deputy Defence Minister Genfi, and representatives from public and private sectors to promote continuous interaction between the ministry and service users.
Mahama promised to reduce government size compared to the outgoing Akufo-Addo administration and cap ministers at 60. The sustained acting arrangements at Defence and Environment ministries suggest the president remains committed to finding suitable replacements rather than rushing appointments, though pressure builds for decisive action as 2026 progresses.
The Defence Ministry faces multiple priorities requiring focused leadership including completing GAF modernization initiatives, implementing welfare improvements for military personnel, continuing anti-galamsey operations, managing regional security cooperation within Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) frameworks, and overseeing the planned recruitment of thousands of new soldiers throughout 2026.
With Ato Forson balancing dual portfolios for nearly half a year, analysts emphasize that both Finance and Defence deserve dedicated ministerial attention given their strategic importance to national development and security. The appointment timing remains unclear, though sources suggest announcements could come following consultations within the ruling party and broader government stakeholders.
