Former Anyaa Sowutuom MP, Dickson Adomako Kissi, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to appoint a substantive Defence Minister and relieve Cassiel Ato Forson of his additional role as Acting Defence Minister, arguing that the dual responsibility is administratively ineffective and risks undermining national security coordination.
Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Tuesday, March 17, Adomako Kissi maintained that the defence portfolio is too critical to be handled alongside the demanding responsibilities of the Finance Ministry.
He stressed that the current arrangement places excessive pressure on Ato Forson, potentially affecting efficiency in both sectors.
“I will plead with you, Mr President, that it has been a bit too long. Administratively, it is not helping the country. Ato Forson is already burdened with stabilising the economy, and that load is troubling.
“Please relieve him of this double role so we can fully appreciate that defence is pivotal to our economic growth,” he stated.
He further warned that investor confidence is closely tied to national security, insisting that any perceived weakness in defence leadership could discourage investment and slow economic recovery.
The call comes on the back of a tragic helicopter crash in Tema on Monday, March 16, 2026, which claimed two lives.
The aircraft, travelling from Ho in the Volta Region to Accra, reportedly went down at Oninku Drive School Park in Tema Community One, near the city’s central business district.
