Domestic Context of Ghana’s National Security Strategy

Introduction

This essay explores the domestic context shaping Ghana’s national security strategy, a critical aspect of the country’s governance and stability in West Africa. National security strategies are frameworks designed to protect a state’s sovereignty, citizens, and interests from internal and external threats. In Ghana, domestic factors such as political stability, economic challenges, social inequalities, and environmental issues profoundly influence the formulation and implementation of such strategies. This essay aims to analyse how these internal dynamics impact Ghana’s national security policies, focusing on key areas such as historical political developments, socio-economic disparities, and emerging internal threats. By examining these elements, the discussion will highlight the complexities of balancing national security priorities with domestic needs. The analysis draws on academic sources and official reports to provide a broad understanding of the field while acknowledging the limitations of applying certain security measures in a developing country context.

Historical and Political Context of National Security in Ghana

Ghana’s national security strategy cannot be fully understood without considering its historical and political backdrop. Since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Ghana has experienced a mix of military coups, democratic transitions, and periods of relative stability. The early years of independence were marked by political instability, with multiple coups between 1966 and 1981, largely driven by dissatisfaction with governance and economic mismanagement (Aning, 2007). These events underscored the importance of internal security mechanisms to prevent political upheaval, shaping the emphasis on regime security within Ghana’s national strategy.

In recent decades, Ghana has emerged as a stable democracy in West Africa, often cited as a model for democratic governance in the region. The Fourth Republic, established in 1992, has seen peaceful transitions of power through elections, strengthening the legitimacy of the state. However, underlying political tensions, particularly during election periods, continue to pose risks to national security. For instance, electoral disputes and allegations of rigging have occasionally led to localised violence, prompting the government to deploy security forces to maintain order (Gyimah-Boadi, 2015). Therefore, Ghana’s national security strategy prioritises the protection of democratic institutions, reflecting the domestic imperative of sustaining political stability as a foundation for broader security objectives.

Socio-Economic Disparities and Security Challenges

Socio-economic disparities represent another critical domestic factor influencing Ghana’s national security strategy. Despite economic growth in recent years, with GDP growth averaging around 5% annually before the COVID-19 pandemic, wealth distribution remains uneven (World Bank, 2020). The northern regions, in particular, lag behind the southern areas in terms of infrastructure, education, and employment opportunities. This inequality fuels grievances that can manifest as social unrest or be exploited by criminal networks and extremist groups (Aning and Abdallah, 2013).

Youth unemployment, currently estimated at over 12% for those aged 15-24, exacerbates these challenges by creating a pool of disaffected individuals susceptible to recruitment by illicit groups (Ghana Statistical Service, 2021). Indeed, the rise of vigilantism, locally termed “political vigilantism,” where unemployed youth are mobilised by political actors for violent activities, has become a notable internal security threat. Ghana’s national security strategy has thus incorporated measures to address these socio-economic drivers of insecurity, such as community policing initiatives and youth empowerment programmes. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains limited by funding constraints and systemic issues in governance, highlighting a key limitation in translating policy into tangible outcomes.

Emerging Internal Threats: Environmental and Health Security

Beyond political and economic factors, emerging domestic challenges such as environmental degradation and public health crises are increasingly influencing Ghana’s national security framework. Illegal mining, known locally as “galamsey,” has caused significant environmental damage, particularly in rural areas, leading to water pollution and deforestation. This not only threatens livelihoods but also creates conflicts between mining communities and state authorities attempting to enforce regulations (Hilson, 2017). The government has responded with operations like “Operation Vanguard,” a joint military-police task force aimed at curbing illegal mining. Nevertheless, the persistence of galamsey underscores the difficulty of balancing economic imperatives with environmental security.

Similarly, public health issues, such as the risk of pandemics, have gained prominence in national security discussions following the global impact of COVID-19. Ghana’s response to the pandemic revealed vulnerabilities in its health infrastructure, prompting calls for integrating health security into the broader national security strategy (WHO, 2021). For instance, border security measures were tightened to prevent cross-border transmission, illustrating how domestic health challenges can intersect with traditional security concerns. These emerging threats demonstrate the need for a multidimensional approach to national security, one that extends beyond military and political dimensions to address environmental and health-related risks.

Critical Evaluation of Ghana’s National Security Approach

While Ghana’s national security strategy reflects a sound understanding of domestic challenges, its implementation reveals certain limitations. A key strength lies in the government’s recognition of diverse internal threats, ranging from political instability to socio-economic issues. Policies such as the National Peace Council, established to mediate conflicts, exemplify efforts to address root causes of insecurity through non-military means (National Peace Council, 2019). Moreover, regional cooperation with bodies like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has bolstered Ghana’s capacity to manage cross-border threats that intersect with domestic issues, such as trafficking and terrorism.

However, a critical weakness is the lack of adequate resources and coordination to address complex, interconnected challenges. For example, while community policing initiatives aim to build trust between security forces and citizens, they are often underfunded and inconsistently applied across regions (Aning and Abdallah, 2013). Furthermore, the heavy reliance on military responses to issues like illegal mining risks alienating communities rather than fostering sustainable solutions. A broader evaluation of perspectives suggests that Ghana’s strategy could benefit from greater civil society involvement and investment in preventive measures, such as education and economic development, to address the structural drivers of insecurity. Arguably, without such a holistic approach, the strategy may remain reactive rather than proactive in mitigating domestic threats.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the domestic context of Ghana’s national security strategy is shaped by a complex interplay of historical, political, socio-economic, and emerging environmental and health factors. Politically, the country’s journey from instability to democratic stability has necessitated a focus on protecting democratic institutions, while socio-economic disparities highlight the need to address underlying grievances to prevent unrest. Emerging challenges, such as environmental degradation and public health crises, further complicate the security landscape, demanding a multidimensional approach. While Ghana’s strategy demonstrates a sound awareness of these issues, limitations in resources and coordination hinder effective implementation. The implications of these findings are significant: without addressing structural drivers of insecurity and enhancing preventive measures, Ghana risks perpetuating a cycle of reactive security policies. Future research and policy development should thus prioritise integrating civil society perspectives and long-term socio-economic solutions into the national security framework, ensuring a balance between immediate threats and sustainable stability.

References

• Aning, K. (2007) ‘Ghana: Security in the Post-Cold War Era’, in *Africa in World Politics*, edited by J. Harbeson and D. Rothchild. Westview Press.
• Aning, K. and Abdallah, M. (2013) ‘Transnational Threats and National Security Challenges in Ghana’, *Journal of West African Studies*, 12(2), pp. 45-60.
• Ghana Statistical Service (2021) *Annual Labour Force Report*. Accra: Ghana Statistical Service.
• Gyimah-Boadi, E. (2015) ‘Ghana’s Worrisome Elections: The Challenges of 2016’, *Journal of Democracy*, 26(1), pp. 94-108.
• Hilson, G. (2017) ‘Shootings and Burning Excavators: Some Rapid Reflections on the “Galamsey Mining” Issue in Ghana’, *The Extractive Industries and Society*, 4(3), pp. 485-489.
• National Peace Council (2019) *Annual Report on Peacebuilding Initiatives*. Accra: National Peace Council.
• World Bank (2020) *Ghana Economic Update: Building Back Better Post-COVID-19*. Washington, DC: World Bank.
• WHO (2021) *Ghana: Health Security and Emergency Preparedness Report*. Geneva: World Health Organization.