A cursory comparison of the early Kufuor/Aliu Mahama
administration in January 2001 and the Nana Addo/Bawumia administration may reveal
that history may repeat itself in a similar manner diametrically opposite to
the Atta Mills /Mahama in January 2009.
While President Kufuor had a warm working
relationship with the General Akafia led Military High Command, same could not
be said of the President Mills administration towards the General JB Danquah
led Military High Command.
The first salvo was thrown by President Mills on
Monday 26 January 2009 when General JB Danquah, the then Chief of Defence Staff
and Mr. Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, the then Inspector General of Police were summoned
to the Castle to meet with the Commander In Chief.
The two chiefs of the military and police respectively
were asked to hand over to their Seconds-In Command by Wednesday 28, January
2009. In the case of General JB Danquah he
was to hand over to the then chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral ARS Nuno while
the IGP was made to hand over to Mrs. Mills Robertson as the Acting CDS and IGP respectively.
The speed with which the two top military and police
bosses were made to hand over to their subordinates were humiliating, stressful
and unacceptable. Unfortunately, the law Professor could not resist the
pressures from the hawks in the NDC, the likes of the Dovlos, Adokpas,
Attachies, Lawsons, Seidu-Adams, Gbekles, Gborglahs, Biekros, Leba-Kemanyas and
Komlagas.
These cabals put so much pressure on the ailing
Professor that he had to “melt”- Then came the appointments in March 2009 when
the Council of State had been put in place and therefore the President could
make firm appointments in the Military and Police.
In the military, then Brigadier General PA Blay
(then DA Abuja Nigeria) was promoted Major General and appointed the Chief of
Defence Staff. Then Commodore and Air Commodore Quashie and Samson-Oje were
respectively appointed chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff, Commodore
Biekro was also appointed the Chief of Staff to replace Brigadier General R
Winful.
By May 2009, consequent to the changes in the
Military High Command, several Brigadier Generals (predominantly Akans) had
been earmarked for compulsory retirement. Those affected included Brigadier Generals
E Okyere, R Debrah, R Winful, JK Nkrumah, CK Ocran, EA Adjei, H Nana-Acheampong,
JA Kwasie, K Opong-Kyekyeku, M Owusu-Ababio, K Oppong – Otchere; Commodore AB
Addison; Colonels FA Apeagyei, MD Boampong, EN Opoku, K Damoah and S
Agyekum-Yamoah.
These releases were in addition to those of the
Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal JO Boateng.
Interestingly, the non-Akans were given special
dispensation. Notable among them were the elevations of Commodore Quashie from
ENC to Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), General J Adinkrah from GOC Northern Command
to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and M Samson-Oje from AFB Takoradi to Chief of
Air Staff; Commodore GM-Biekro to Chief
of Staff.
Other interesting developments were in postings and
appointments for diplomatic duties as published by the Military Secretary on 6th
January 2009 but taking effect from 31 December 2008. By a message on 8 January
2009, Brigadier General Nunoo-Mensah, National Security Advisor to Professor
John Mills, caused a publication by the Military Secretary to cancel the
appointments of all the Akan officers in that publication.
Interestingly, all the Non-Akans who were to go on
the diplomatic duties either maintained their postings or were reshuffled. For
the avoidance of any doubts, the following were the officers posted and
appointed into diplomatic positions on 6th January 2009.
2. Deputy DMNAA – Group Captain Dwamena-Mante
3. Deputy DA London – Capt (GN) Osei Sarfo
4. MILAD New York – Brigadier General JA Kwasie
5. Deputy MILAD New York – Colonel K Damoah
6. DA Ethiopia – Brigadier General A Annan
7. DA South Africa – Colonel AI Wuni
8. DA China – Capt (GN) SK Darbo
9. DA India – Air Commodore ER Krakue
These appointments were changed to read as follows:
1. DMNAA Washington – Brigadier General GE Amamoo (PNDC Cadre)
2. MILAD New York – Brigadier General PK Opoku (VR)
3. Deputy MILAD, New York – Colonel EA Abdulai (UER)
4. DA Ethiopia – Brigadier General A Annan (GAR)
5. DA Egypt – Air Commodore IS Kadri (NR)
6. DA London, UK – Brigadier General B Musah (NR)
7. Deputy DA London, UK – Capt (GN) MK Addison (CR)
8. DA Abuja, Nigeria – Commodore F Daley
9. DA China – Brigadier General BK Gborglah (VR)
10. DA India – Air Commodore ER Krakue (CR)
These changes were made at the time that Professor
Mills was the President and Brigadier General Nunoo-Mensah was the National
Security Advisor.
These two (late John Mills and Brigadier General
Nunoo Mensah) VIPs in the NDC 2 government were all Fantis or from the Central
Region.
Incidentally, the only two Akans introduced or
maintained in the postings to diplomatic duties were all Fantis from the Central
Region. General GE Amamoo in addition to being a Fanti (CR) was also a cadre of
the PNDC era. When the late Lieutenant Colonel EKT Donkor was the Chief of
Staff at the PNDC HQ, General GE Amamoo was a Principal Staff Officer at the
PNDC Secretariat. Any wonder that he was rewarded with the appointment of DMNAA
Washington?
As a matter of fact, General Amamoo’s name was not
on the original list but was inserted after the cancelation. Similarly, Air Commodore
Krakue was maintained as DA, New Delhi, India owing to the fact that his
hometown is in the Central Region.
The rest of the “diplomats” were mainly either from
the Volta Region or the Northern Regions.
These situations are to be compared with
developments in 2016/2017 especially in January 2017 after Nana Addo has been
sworn in as the 5th President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.
The outgone NDC government of President Mahama
cleverly posted some officers of the Ghana Armed Forces to diplomatic positions
on 1st July 2016 – Six clear months before any change in government
in January 2017 unlike the situation under President Kufour which was published
on 6th January 2009.
After John Mahama had lost the elections on December
7th, 2016, the Military High Command miraculously found money for
most of the “military diplomats” to go on their postings as directed by
President Mahama. Those who benefitted from that cunning strategy are:
2. Brigadier General Isaac Mensah–Tetteh – DA, London, UK
3. Brigadier General RY Odoi – MILAD, New York, USA
4. Colonel JFNK Freeman – Deputy MILAD, New York, USA
5. Brigadier General AK Yeboah – DA Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
6. Commodore MRN Yawson – DA Abuja, Nigeria
7. Brigadier General JA Boampong – DA, Beijing, China
8. Commodore S Agyenim-Boateng – DA Abidjan, Ivory Coast
9. Capt (GN) F Ayitevi Nyarko – Deputy DA London
10. Group Captain Elvis King Arneson – DA, Cairo Egypt
11. Air Commodore JN Yaotse Nyadodui - DA New Delhi, India
These postings to diplomatic positions have been
done deliberately to tease and provoke the NPP administration of President Nana
Addo. The beneficiaries of the postings
had been apprehensive owing to the callous manner used by the Mills/Mahama administration
in 2009.
These “lucky officers” fear that a similar treatment
and fate would befall them. But fortunately, for them, Nana Addo is not as
wicked, callous and vindictive as Professor Mills and John Mahama.
But does this pose a danger to the NPP administration
as its sympathizers and supporters in the military appear to be frustrated,
downhearted and disappointed by these developments? Yes.
A lot of NPP sympathizers were looking forward to
changes in the appointment/postings to diplomatic duties as majority of the
officers have either reached their compulsory retiring ages or would be
reaching them while on postings thereby enjoying “favour” that could not be
extended to brilliant officers such as Colonel AK Appiah- Agyapong (GH/930), Naval Captain EK Ankamah (GH/2159), Colonel AK
Asare (GH/1980), Colonel AE Mensah (GH/2150), Wing Commander CK Eshun (GH/2246)
and Lieutenant Colonel A Adjaye-Gasie (GH/2066)
The dates of birth and ages of the officers on the
current diplomatic postings are as follows:
2. Brigadier General RY Odoi (GH/2022) – 06/12/57 – 59 years +
3. Brigadier General AK Yeboah (GH/2037) – 31/12/59 – 57 years +
4. Brigadier General A Abu (GH/2023) – 05/05/59 – 57 years +
5. Colonel JFNK Freeman (GH/2354) - 09/04/60 – 56 years +
6. Commodore MRN Yawson (GH/1974) – 31/01/56 – Almost 60 years
7. Brigadier General JA Boampong (GH/2156) – 01/01/59 – 58 years
8. Air Commodore JM Yaotse Nyadodui – 04/09/58 – 58 years +
The strategy that NDC used to “get rig” of officers
suspected to be NPP sympathizers was to deny them appointment and promotions
that could catapult them to higher levels thereby extending their services for
some more years. These unfortunate officers were, in most cases, made to “mark
time” or “double mark time” while being overtaken by their NDC counterparts who
enjoy undeserving appointments and promotions.
It is against this background that several officers
sympathetic to the cause of the NPP are really disappointed and are “crying”
quietly in their offices and rooms. Most of them call it double agony or jeopardy
in the sense that they suffer discrimination, humiliation, victimization and
operation under the NDC only to be considered in their disadvantaged seniority
according to the tri- service Seniority Role of officers.
Certainly that is unfair. For instance, Colonel JA
Aphour “lost seniority” because he was linked to the NPP in the 2008 elections.
Consequently, some of his mates were promoted two years and/or one year before
him thereby sending him lower on the Army and Armed Forces Seniority Role.
Some mates of Colonel JA Aphour, who were considered
politically correct (NDC members/ sympathizers) were promoted Colonel on 20
December 2012 as Colonels while he was promoted Colonel on 27 February 2015
thus becoming two years Junior to his own mates.
In such circumstances, it becomes unfair to promote
the mates of Colonel JA Aphour to the next rank of Brigadier General before him
under the new NPP administration. These unfair practices need to be corrected
to save such professionally loyal, dedicated, determined and courageous
officers from “depression”.
The NDC always have a way of “saving” their members
in such situation. There are recent examples;
For instance, the following Intake Mates of RCC 23 are all Brigadier Generals.
1. RY Odoi (GH/2022)
2. Alhassan Abu (GH/2023)
3. Stanley Brian Alloh (GH 2024)
4. Edem Fiawoo (GH/2026)
5. Frederick Buliga (GH2030)
6. Senyo Ayer (GH/2033)
7. AK Yebaoh (GH /2037)
8. MK Akpatsu (GH/ 2038)
9. Commodore OJ Kontoh (GH/2158)
Similarly some intake mates of RCC 24 are Brigadier
Generals together;
b. Air Commodore IR Wayoe (GH/2070)
c. Commodore Beick- Baffour (GH/ 2073)
d. Brigadier General Omane Agyekum (GH/2065)
e. Commodore Asante Bonsu Osei (GH/2076)
Again, the following mates of RCC 25 are now Brigadier
Generals:
2. Brigadier General NK Kporku (GH/ 2163)
3. Brigadier General CK Gyasensir (GH/2166)
The last but not the least, most of the mates of Intake
RCC 26 are all Brigadier Generals;
1. Commodore
Samuel Angmor (GH/2383)2. Brigadier General T Oppong-Peprah (GH/2217)
3. Brigadier General IM Aryeetey (GH/2230)
4. Brigadier General EW Kotia (GH/2222)
5. Brigadier General AK Adu (GH/2225)
6. Commodore Eric Adu (GH/2367)
7. Brigadier General PN Andoh (GH/2221)
8. Brigadier General CKAA Awity (GH/2218)
The NDC has been using its “powers of appointments/
promotions” effectively for its
members to the disadvantage of the NPP. At the least opportunity, the NDC makes
sure it carries along with it all Eaglets on top of the umbrella.
Can the same be said of NPP? No. But why? Because
the NPP does not want to hurt anyone; the NPP wants to be fair while their main
rivals deliberately and strategically make sure that they are unfair to NPP
sympathizers and fair to only NDC members. Several examples and illustrations
are available to buttress this point.
But will the NPP learn any lesson? Probably NO, as they are scared to the bone
because of perceived threats by the NDC.
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