I'm going to ghost a former close friend
Why do you want to ghost your friend?
I don't feel that it's appropriate to discuss this issue out in the open.
It's very disrespectful to your friend to ghost him without any explanation.  If he has done something to upset you, you need to let him know what that was, so that he can either made amends, or at least not do it again to someone else.
I know, I just don't feel that it's appropriate to discuss this matter out in the open.
Whatever your reason may be for wanting to ghost your friend, you owe it to them to break it off directly, face to face. Give them your reason as to why you feel the friendship isn't working out and say a proper goodbye.