Veteran journalist and Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has criticized persons making the βWhere is the US military base?β argument, calling it rooted in ignorance and a misunderstanding of modern military strategy.
Speaking on Accra-based radio station Peace FM on April 23, 2026, Pratt argued that the absence of a visible, traditional base does not mean the United States does not have a military presence in Ghana. He pointed to the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Ghana-US Defense Cooperation Agreement, which allows US forces to use Ghanaian facilities for training and operations.
Pratt's comments come amid ongoing public debate in Ghana about the nature and extent of US military activities in the country. The Ghanaian government has maintained that there is no permanent US base on Ghanaian soil, but Pratt insists that the agreement grants the US significant operational access.
βThe argument that 'there is no US base' is a sign of total ignorance,β Pratt said. βModern military presence does not always require a base with American flags and barbed wire. It can be through agreements that allow access to airports, ports, and other facilities.β
The debate has intensified following recent reports of US military personnel training Ghanaian troops in counterterrorism operations in the northern regions. Pratt urged Ghanaians to study the details of the defense agreement rather than rely on superficial observations.
