By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has criticised the government over what he describes as a lack of transparency and consistency in the conduct of Ghana’s foreign policy, insisting that Parliament must be fully briefed on key diplomatic and security decisions.
The former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources made the remarks on the floor of Parliament following a briefing by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. Mr. Jinapor, who is also the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, argued that the Executive is constitutionally required to keep Parliament informed and to seek parliamentary approval where necessary, particularly on sensitive foreign policy matters.
“Government, in the exercise of executive power, must be within the framework of Parliament, particularly when the government acts in relation to foreign policy,” Mr. Jinapor told the House.
He stressed that it should not require the intervention of the Minority Leader for the Foreign Affairs Minister to appear before Parliament to brief members on major decisions affecting Ghana’s international relations.
“It should not take the intervention of the Minority Leader for the Minister to brief this House on such fundamental and important decisions of the government when they relate to foreign policy,” he said.
Mr. Jinapor further criticised what he described as weak engagement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliament, especially the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs.
“Mr. Speaker, as Ranking Member for Foreign Affairs, I must put on record, and Hansard must capture, that the Minister for Foreign Affairs can do better in terms of parliamentary engagement,” he stated.
He reaffirmed that Parliament remains a critical stakeholder in Ghana’s foreign relations and must be carried along in diplomatic, security, and international engagements. According to him, effective foreign policy must be anchored on credibility, institutional accountability, and respect for democratic processes.
The Damongo MP also raised concerns about the President’s recent decision to deploy Ghanaian troops to Benin and Jamaica without first briefing Parliament. He argued that such actions undermine parliamentary oversight, particularly in matters involving military deployments and regional security.
“The Minister says His Excellency President Mahama conducted a ceremony this morning at the seat of the Presidency and saw Ghanaian troops off. The first body within the state of Ghana that should be briefed is the Parliament of Ghana, the representatives of the people,” he stressed.
Mr. Jinapor further accused the government of double standards in its engagement with neighbouring countries, questioning what he described as contradictions in its posture towards Burkina Faso and Benin.
According to him, while the government appears to engage more favourably with Burkina Faso’s military junta, it has condemned an attempted military takeover in Benin and deployed Ghanaian troops as part of an ECOWAS response.
“If a coup is bad in Benin, it must be bad in Burkina Faso; it must be bad in Niger,” he said, warning that inconsistency in foreign policy positions could undermine Ghana’s credibility on the international stage.
His comments add to growing calls for stronger parliamentary oversight, clearer guiding principles, and greater transparency in Ghana’s foreign policy and regional security engagements.
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