Renowned security analyst Professor Kwesi Aning has raised alarm over what he describes as the growing politicisation of Ghana’s security institutions, warning that the trend threatens their independence, neutrality, and the integrity of the country’s democratic system.
Speaking on ABC News’ Morning Show, Prof. Aning stated that recent actions by some security agencies are increasingly being misconstrued as politically motivated, especially in the wake of the arrest of NPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, and other party members.
“What evidence have these security institutions got against him?” he questioned, highlighting concerns about the transparency of such actions.
Professor Aning called on political leaders to refrain from interfering in the operations of the country’s security agencies and urged the institutions themselves to recommit to their constitutional mandates.
“We have lost trust in the independence of these institutions. Every single action they take legally is then misconstrued as being political,” he lamented.
He stressed that only by regaining public confidence can these institutions effectively carry out their duties without fear or favour.
In a broader critique of Ghana’s political landscape, Prof. Aning also condemned the rise in political violence, describing it as a direct threat to constitutional order.
He warned against the use of vigilante groups and party loyalists to undermine state authority. “The shift of challenging the authority of the state is a criminal act. The Constitution is clear—no one can form a group that is armed apart from the Republic of Ghana,” he said.
According to him, normalising intimidation and abuse by politically aligned actors erodes national security and weakens democracy.
