Former Defence Minister and Bimbilla Member of Parliament Dominic Nitiwul has called on the government to provide a full explanation regarding recent developments affecting Ghanaian nationals abroad, emphasising the urgent need for a fully empowered Defence Minister to oversee investigations.

Mr Nitiwul’s comments come in the wake of a recent terrorist attack in Burkina Faso that targeted Ghanaian tomato traders, raising concerns about the safety of Ghanaian nationals operating in volatile regions of West Africa.

Eight Ghanaians were killed, and several others were injured in the deadly attack.

Speaking to the press, Mr Nitiwul expressed concern over what he described as insufficient information from government authorities.

“I just think that the Ghanaian government must be explaining to us what happened, the circumstances. I think the government has not yet come out,” he said. “They’ve come out officially with some statement, but we want a detailed explanation, either by the foreign minister or by the defence minister."

He further stressed the importance of having a defence minister in place to coordinate Ghana’s response in times of crisis.

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“And that’s 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,” Mr Nitiwul said.

The former minister highlighted that a defence minister with a full mandate is critical not only for leading investigations but also for ensuring timely government action and coordination with security agencies abroad.