Security analyst Professor Kwesi Aning has confirmed that 40,000 rounds of ammunition reportedly went missing from the Ministry of Defence’s armoury shortly before the previous NPP administration exited office on January 7, 2025.

In an  interview with Adom News, Prof. Aning, who serves as Director of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), disclosed that the late Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, had personally informed him about the disturbing incident.

Dr. Boamah, who tragically died in a helicopter crash on August 6, 2025, had raised alarms a month earlier—in July 2025—about the unaccounted military ammunition. He had alleged that thousands of rounds of ammunition transferred from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to the National Security Secretariat in 2024 could not be traced.

According to Prof. Aning, Dr. Boamah had already directed the National Security Secretariat to launch an internal investigation before his untimely death.

“This situation is deeply troubling and a potential threat to Ghana’s national security and democratic stability,” Prof. Aning stated. “We are conducting a comprehensive study to determine how many weapons are currently outside state control.”

He warned that millions of firearms are in private hands, creating a volatile environment that could destabilize the nation—particularly in the aftermath of the 2024 general elections, which saw the NPP lose power to the NDC amid allegations of insecurity, corruption, and institutional decay.

Prof. Aning suggested that the loss of the ammunition and other lapses in national security management during the NPP administration contributed to public disillusionment and mistrust, factors that significantly influenced the party’s electoral defeat.

“The erosion of accountability, the growing impunity among political elites, and the failure to safeguard critical state assets like ammunition stores are part of what led to the public’s rejection of the previous administration,” he said.

He added that the rise in gun-related crimes and political interference in law enforcement had further weakened citizens’ faith in state institutions.
“Public officials, fearful of losing their jobs, often fail to act when political actors break the law,” he noted. “This weakens our institutions and jeopardizes the peace we’ve worked so hard to maintain.”

The respected security expert also expressed frustration over the illegal use of sirens by government officials and security personnel, describing it as symbolic of a broader breakdown in discipline.
“Only the President, Vice President, Speaker of Parliament, and Chief Justice are legally allowed to use sirens, yet we see them abused by people who should know better. It reflects how far we’ve drifted from accountability,” he lamented.

Prof. Aning called for urgent action from the current administration to recover the missing ammunition, curb the proliferation of small arms, and rebuild public confidence in Ghana’s security architecture.
“We cannot remain silent while weapons move freely and accountability weakens. The time to act is now,” he emphasized.

Security observers have described the disappearance of the ammunition as one of the gravest national security breaches in Ghana’s recent history, underscoring the urgent need for transparency, institutional reform, and political restraint to prevent future crises.