Majority Leader and Chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, James Agalga, has warned that Ghana’s relative peace and stability must not create a false sense of security, as emerging threats continue to challenge the country’s northern frontier.
Mr Agalga disclosed that security agencies recorded 47 cross-border incursions and more than 300 arrests linked to alleged extremist recruitment attempts between 2023 and 2025.
According to him, the figures demonstrate the need for Ghana to strengthen its border security and intelligence capabilities to prevent extremist networks operating in neighbouring countries from establishing a foothold in the country.
Speaking at the 9th REPAM-CDS Security Governance Conference, Mr Agalga said Ghana’s geographical location within a sub-region affected by violent extremism made the country vulnerable to emerging security threats.
He noted that although Ghana had so far maintained relative stability, the situation should not be taken for granted.
“In Ghana, we have remained relatively stable, but we are not insulated. The Ghana Armed Forces and security agencies recorded 47 cross-border incursions and over 300 arrests linked to extremist recruitment attempts along our northern border between 2023 and 2025,” he said.
The Majority Leader said the arrests formed part of efforts by the Ghana Armed Forces and other security agencies to disrupt attempts by extremist groups to recruit individuals within Ghana.
He called for stronger collaboration among security institutions, improved intelligence gathering and enhanced border surveillance to identify and neutralise potential threats before they escalate.
Mr Agalga also pointed to the growing threat of technology-enabled crime, citing official crime statistics showing a 12.3 percent increase in cybercrime and fraud cases in 2024.
He said the trend reflected a broader transformation in the nature of threats confronting the country, with security challenges increasingly extending beyond conventional crime and physical attacks.
“At the same time, our 2024 crime statistics show a 12.3 percent increase in cybercrime and fraud cases, highlighting the shift to non-traditional threats.”
He argued that the combination of extremist activities, cross-border incursions and cybercrime demonstrated that modern security threats were becoming increasingly complex and difficult to contain within national borders.
“These data points tell us one thing, threats are transnational, asymmetric and they test the very governance structures we are mandated to oversee,” he said.
Mr Agalga therefore urged policymakers and security agencies to strengthen Ghana’s institutional and governance systems to ensure that the country remains resilient against both traditional and emerging security threats.
