The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has called for an urgent briefing from the government following claims that Ghanaian territory was used to support United States military airstrikes against ISIS targets in northern Nigeria.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, the Member of Parliament for Damongo and Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, surrounded by his colleagues on the committee, said the disclosure raises serious questions about Ghana’s foreign policy posture and national security.

According to the Minority, the issue came to light after the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, reportedly stated during a panel discussion at Chatham House in London that the administration of President John Dramani Mahama authorised cooperation with the United States in December 2025 that allowed Ghanaian territory to be used in military operations targeting ISIS elements in northern Nigeria.

Mr. Jinapor said members of the Minority and even Parliament itself learned about the alleged arrangement through media reports rather than through official communication from the government.

“What is the framework within which the Ghanaian government collaborated with the United States of America?” he asked.

Key Questions Raised

The Minority outlined several concerns and demanded clarification from the government.

First, the caucus is seeking details of the legal and operational framework under which Ghana is said to have collaborated with the United States on the reported military action.

According to Mr. Jinapor, former officials of the previous administration maintain that no such arrangement existed during the tenure of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Secondly, the caucus questioned whether any agreement underpinning the cooperation was presented to Parliament for approval, as required under Ghana’s constitutional provisions governing international agreements.

“Any agreement of this nature must be brought before Parliament for ratification,” Mr. Jinapor stated, noting that legislators have not been briefed on any such arrangement.

“So at what stage and through what legal mechanism did our government collaborate and agree with the government of the United States to unleash military action and airstrikes against a terrorist organisation in a foreign country, Nigeria?” he questioned.

“If there was any such agreement, why has the government not tabled it before Parliament for ratification or otherwise?” he asked.

Security Concerns

The Minority also raised concerns about the potential national security implications of the alleged collaboration.

Mr. Jinapor questioned whether Ghana could become a potential target for retaliatory attacks by terrorist groups such as Islamic State or other extremist networks operating in the region.

He urged the government to explain what measures have been implemented to safeguard Ghanaian citizens and protect the country from possible security threats.

“Does Ghana become a target of ISIS or other terrorist organisations? What measures have been put in place to ensure that our citizens are protected and our national security is safeguarded?” he queried.

The caucus demanded that the Foreign Affairs Minister appear before Parliament to provide a comprehensive briefing on the matter.

They are requesting clarity on the circumstances surrounding the alleged authorisation, the legal framework supporting it, and the steps being taken to ensure Ghana’s national security is not compromised.

Supporting the call for clarification, the former Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul said Ghana currently has no known security arrangement with the United States that permits the use of Ghanaian territory to launch military attacks against another country.

He explained that Ghana and the United States have previously signed several defence cooperation agreements in 1998, 2002, 2015 and 2018, but none allowed Ghana’s territory to be used as a launch point for military strikes.

“In all these agreements, at no point was the United States or any other country allowed to use the territory of Ghana as a launch pad to attack any individual, nation, group of persons or organisation,” he said.

Mr. Nitiwul added that even the deployment of armed military aircraft in Ghana requires explicit permission from the government.

While emphasising the need for Ghana to support international efforts to combat terrorism, he insisted that any collaboration must strictly comply with the country’s laws and constitutional procedures.

He therefore urged the Foreign Affairs Minister to brief Parliament and the Ghanaian public on the matter.

“We all want to help fight terrorism, but no government should allow a foreign country to use our territory to attack another country without a formal agreement and the necessary approvals,” he said.