COP Abdul Osman Razak is the National Security Coordinator
The government of President John Dramani Mahama has initiated a high-level investigation into what it describes as the suspicious and undocumented diversion of significant quantities of military-grade ammunition from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to the National Security Secretariat during 2024, under the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
The startling revelation was made public by the Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah during the second edition of the Government Accountability Series on Monday. It has since raised serious concerns about arms control and the apparent abuse of military logistics under the previous government.
The National Security Coordinator, COP Abdul Osman Razak, is spearheading the probe, which insiders say is being conducted “with uncompromising intensity”.
Though government officials have clarified that the consignment involved ammunition rather than weapons, security experts argue that the covert transfer of such a sensitive military stockpile, absent proper documentation, represents a serious breach of national security.
“Ammunition is not harmless,” a senior military officer told the press on condition of anonymity.
According to the defence minister, the investigation, now well underway, is focused on determining how thousands of rounds of military ammunition were diverted without formal clearance.
Key areas under scrutiny include: The source and authorisation of the transfer;
Breaches in the chain-of-custody;
The exact quantity and specifications of the ammunition;
The intended recipients and purpose;
And the current location of the consignment.
“This isn’t a clerical error or an inventory oversight. This is a calculated and deeply troubling diversion of live rounds, carried out with no institutional accountability,” the defence minister remarked sternly.
While the Mahama-led government has assured the public that Ghana’s internal security remains stable, the discovery of missing ammunition has sparked unease among civil society groups and security analysts.
Many argue that the case exposes a serious breakdown in military oversight and accountability under the previous regime.
In a statement on the matter, National Security Coordinator COP Razak affirmed the government’s commitment to full transparency, regardless of political fallout. “This administration will not shield any individual or entity found complicit,” he declared.
“The findings will be made public as they emerge. Nothing will be swept under the carpet.”
The investigation forms part of broader reforms initiated under COP Razak’s leadership, aimed at restoring discipline within Ghana’s intelligence and defence logistics systems, eliminating shadow operations, and rebuilding public trust in the country’s security apparatus.