A gun-toting leader raises concerns about Ghana's establishment

Burkina Faso's military chief, Captain Ibrahim Traore, raised concerns when he attended the inauguration of Ghana's President, John Mahama on Tuesday with a loaded pistol at his waist.

Some have described this unusual move as a breach of security protocol.

Others have seen it as a lack of trust in the ability of Ghanaian officials to protect the head of the Burkinabe junta.

It is unclear whether Traore was allowed to carry the weapon and the new Ghanaian government did not respond to a BBC request for comment.

Mahama was sworn in after defeating the then ruling party candidate, Mahamudu Bawumia, by a wide margin in last month's election.

Traore, one of 21 heads of state who attended, and his visit came at a time of diplomatic tension in West Africa.

Burkina Faso, along with two other military-led states – Mali and Niger, have broken away from the regional bloc Ecowas to form their own federation.

Security analyst Vladmir Antwi Danso said it is unusual for a head of state to carry a sidearm to an inauguration ceremony as the security of the visiting leader is the responsibility of the host.

He pointed out that Ghanaian and Burkinabe security personnel should have discussed the issue to ensure that the correct protocols were followed. “Either it wasn't done or it wasn't done badly,” Dr Danso told the BBC.

While another security analyst, Retd Col Festus Aboagye, agrees that the host country is usually responsible for protecting visiting presidents, he says bilateral arrangements can continue to changes.

He suggested that a consensus may have been reached to allow Traore to wear his military uniform and carry his arm, along with some of his personal security detail.

“I don't think it's a breach of security in the context of what people are saying, (like) if he had taken the weapon out to shoot. That's a bit far-fetched,” Col Aboagye said.

The Alliance of Sahel States, which consists of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, has accused Ecowas of trying to destabilize their countries. Perhaps Traore had that in the back of his mind when he attended the dedication ceremony.

But the fact that a military leader “carried a gun shows that they have that power with the gun because they are military leaders and to be present at the investment of democracy is a little strange”, Emmanuel Bensah who works on regional integration issues, said.

Relations between Ghana and Burkina Faso have been strained, especially after Ghana's vice president, Nana Akufo-Addo, accused Traore of harboring Russian mercenaries.

Traore's presence at the inauguration was seen as an important diplomatic gesture aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries.

Ghana's support is vital in helping Burkina Faso deal with its deadly jihadist terrorism, which poses a threat to West African coastal states.