Cry Our Cry Please (2)

The Patriotic Concerned Officers and Men (PACOM) in our communities continue to lament over developments in the Security Services in particular and the Public Administration System (PAS) in general.

The lamentations of PACOM are premised on the grounds that known, wicked, vicious treacherous, callous and hypocritical members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have “managed” to maintain their appointments and positions and even in some cases have been elevated or promoted to higher positions, appointments and ranks.

Members of the NDC instead of being apologetic for all the misdeeds, atrocities, brutalities, corruption, malfeasance, mismanagement, harassment, political vendetta and vindictiveness, in some cases using the Security Services such as the Police, BNI, National Security Secretariat, to oppress, suppress, harass, humiliate and destroy the economic and social infrastructure of opposition members, have rather restored to a strategy of blackmail.

While the government of John Mahama did not care about members of the then opposition, especially the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in relieving people of their appointments and in most cases putting NDC square pegs in round holes, they are now making unjustified allegations of persecution by the NPP.  

Members of the NDC holding very sensitive and strategic positions such as Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL), the Managing Director of Ghana Commercial Bank, National Investment Bank, Agricultural Development Bank among others have entrenched themselves in their positions and have resorted blackmailing the NPP government with the allegation that the NPP is “removing” Non-Akans (i.e. Ewes and Northerners) and is replacing them with Akans, specifically Akims and Asantes.

There are similar false allegations in the military where very known NDC officers who have been “tainted” with greed, corruption, mismanagement, arrogance, pride and over-ambition are now claiming that there is a witch-hunting project against them. 

What an irony of development!!!

Is it not logical that when majority of NDC appointments and promotions are reserved or earmarked for only Northerners and Ewes, who are embroiled in various forms of malpractices, mismanagement and incompetence, and the axe is falling or changes are being effected in those affected areas (appointments/positions/promotions) they are likely to be the casualties? 

Why did John Mahama and his group not think about “sacking or removing” Akan officers who were holding appointments when President Kufour was leaving office in January 2009? 

Why did Mr. Mahama decide to “ignore” qualified Akans in most of his considerations when appointing persons to “juicy” and sensitive appointments and positions?

Was it not the case that most of the Akans were made to serve under their juniors?

Were Mahama’s favorites, cronies, friend, relatives, foot-soldiers and relatives not considered favorably over and above their more qualified counterparts perceived to be NPP supporters/members/sympathizers?

Did the NPP as a party or the elected officials or members resist those changes?

As civilized members of society believing in the rule of law and democracy, the NPP as a party and its members/affiliates/sympathizers and well-wishes accepted the right of the President of the Republic to hire and fire personnel into or from the Public Services as permitted by law.

In most cases, the NDC knew that they were doing wrong things but they did not care and could not be bothered at all by any legal considerations. The NDC did what it considered right especially in order to satisfy their supporters, foot-soldiers and sympathizers who did not want any NPP person to be in any high public office.

In January 2009, it was Jerry Rawlings, who threw the first salvo by demanding that President Mills should change all the heads of the Security Services. Jerry Rawlings made the call on or around 22^nd January 2009.

On Monday 26^th January 2009, Professor John Mills, then President, summoned the then Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, General JB Danquah and the then Inspector General of Police, Mr. Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong to the Osu Castle where he thanked them for their invaluable services to mother Ghana and informed them that he was relieving them of their appointments with effect from Wednesday 28^th January 2009.

The main newspapers – Daily Graphic, Daily Guide and Ghanaian Times-among others carried the story. Thereafter, all the other heads of the Security Services were changed one after the other.

Important heads of other state institutions were also changed. For instance the then Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of the National Investment Bank, Mr. Gyimah, a brother of Mrs. Cecilia Johnson (wife of Colonel Johnson) was arrested by the BNI, relieved of his post and taken through very unorthodox methods of trial (close to trial by ordeal) in very humiliating and undemocratic ways.

In March 2009, all the Service Commanders of the Ghana Armed Forces, including Rear Admiral Sampana Nuno, who was made to act as the CDS, when General JB Danquah was retired on 28^th January 2009. Thus, General SA Odefei, the Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Sampana Nuno, Chief of Naval Staff and Acting CDS and Air Vice Marshal JO Boateng, Chief of Air Staff were retired.

In May 2009 and thereafter, the Commandants MATS, GAFCSC and Kofi Annan were also retired. The Commandants were Major General KA Abdulai (GH/1205) (MATS), Major General RE Baiden (GH/1260) (GAFCSC) and Major General JK Attipoe (GH/1247). In their places were appointed Rear Admiral MM Tahiru (GH/1435) Commandant MATS, Major General K Yankson (GH/1339) Commandant GAFCSC and Air Vice Marshal CEK Dovlo (GH/1592) as Commandant KAIPTC.

Major General CS Modey (GH/1434) who was the Force Commander in Liberia was later appointed the Commissioner for Customs, Excise and Preventive Service.

Earlier on in March 2009, then Brigadier General PA Blay (GH/1398) serving as Ghana’s Defence Adviser in Abuja, Nigeria, was appointed the Chief of Defence Staff to take over from Rear Admiral ARS Numo (GH/1303).

Brigadier General JN Adinkrah (GH/1446) was appointed the Chief of Army Staff. Naval Commodore M Quashie (GH/1509), the Chief of Naval Staff and Air Commodore M Samson-Oje (GH/1779), the Chief of Air Staff. The four of them were promoted to the rank of Major Generals and its equipment in the Navy and Airforce, Rear Admiral and Air Vice Marshal respectively.

Commodore GM Biekro (GH/1668) was appointed the Chief of Staff at the General Headquarters to coordinate affairs for all the three services.

In May 2009, several major appointments, postings and promotions were effected in the Ghana Armed Forces. The General Officers Commanding (GOCs) the Northern and Southern Commands were changed. So also were the Departmental Heads (Director Generals, Directors) Defence Advisers and Commanding Officers changed.

For instance, Brigadier General MGK Ahiaglo (GH/1628) was appointed the GOC for Southern Command, thereby cutting short his appointment as the first Defence Adviser for Adis Ababa, Ethiopia established by President John Kufour. Then Colonel R Opoku-Adusei (GH/2127) was appointed GOC Northern Command and promoted Brigadier General subsequently.

Then Colonel SM Adams (GH/1782) was appointed the Military Secretary in place of Commodore TS Appiah (GH/1555). Brigadier General CK Ocran (GH/1516) lost his appointment as the Director General Defence Intelligence and in his place was appointed F Iddrisu (GH/1760).

Colonel Y Nyamekye-Yeboah (GH/1678) took over as the Defence Financial Controller from Brigadier General EQ Seppey (GH/1278).

Brigadier General EC Quist (GH/1515) was appointed the Director General Personnel Administration in place of Commodore CEK Dovlo who had been appointed Commandant KAIPTC.

Several other postings and appointments were made at the General Headquarters such that no officer holding an appointment as a Director General or Director, with the exception of EWK Nibo who maintained his position as Director of Public Relations under the regime of President JA Kufour remained in his appointment. 

 

Changes were also made in the Navy and the Airforce. New Base Commanders were appointed for the Navy and the Airforce. Thus, new FOCs, Eastern Naval Command and Western Naval Command were appointed. A new Chief of Staff and new Directors were appointed to man the Naval Headquarters.

Similarly, new Base Commanders were appointed for Airforce Base Accra, Airforce Base Tamale and Airforce Base Takoradi. A new Chief Staff Officer and new Directors for the various Air Force Directorates were appointed.

Commanding Officers for the “seaworthy” and other ships were appointed for the Navy. Other appointments for the Logistics and Technical Divisions of the Navy were also appointed. The story was the same for the Airforce. The Wings and the Squadtrons were all given new Commanding Officers and Officers Commanding.

It was clear from the postings started in January and February and reinforced in May 2009 that a “new era had come” The new era did not want to leave anything to chance.

With Lieutenant Colonel AK Gbevlo-Lartey (Rtd) in charge as the National Security Coordinator, Air Vice Marshal CEK Dovlo as Commandant of KAIPTC, Commodore GM Biekro as the Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Ahiaglo as General Officer Commanding  Southern Command, Colonel SM Adams as Military Secretary, Colonel F Iddrisu as Director General (DI) and Captain(GN) M Beick-Baffour as the Deputy Military Secretary, that stage had been set for the NDC “Think Tank” and strategists to “rule” the Ghana Armed Forces.

Colonels Adokpa, Nutakor, EMK Yeboah, Mishio, Tetteh-Akunor, CK Debrah, Lawson, Naval Captains FK Eshun, Wotordzor, Osei-Kuffour, Group Captains Komla, Nagai, Ayamgha, Evans, Dzokoto, Nyadodui, Lieutenant Colonels Alloh, Adeti, Fiawoo, Asamoah Yeboah, Ayer, Nyaka, Commanders Lovi, Wing Commanders Dzamefe and Wayoe and several other officers of the “Agbadza and Batakari fraternities, postings, appointments and promotions were effected to reflect the new realities in a manner that some concerned officers and men felt were relics of military regimes of the AFRC and PNDC era and not “Constitutional Rule” headed by a Professor of Law.

PACOM wants the current NPP Administration to also demonstrate that there has been a major and a real change in the Administration of Ghana, the Public Administration System and the Security Services.

The “business as usual” is a source of worry to the members of PACOM. Members of PACOM are not comfortable with the styles adapted by Albert Kan-Dapaah and Brigadier General E Okyere (Rtd). The two “Security Bosses” (Minister for National Security and National Security Adviser) are fast becoming unpopular with members of PACOM and the Security Services in generals.

Certainly PACOM is not demanding “tit for tat” but PACOM wants effective reasonable changes that would enable the promises and manifesto provisions of the NPP to be fulfilled. The NPP promised jobs, equity, justice, rule of law, probity, accountability, fight against corruption and misuse of public purse.

It is in the light of these promises and the fact that a lot of the very senior officers who have been maintained in their pre 7^th January 2017 positions or have been given yet very attractive and juicy posts after 7^th January 2017 that members of the PACOM are getting agitated and anxious about the developments in the various public sectors especially public safety and security.

Security matters are not to be toyed with. Loyalty is an extremely important character trait required in the appointment of persons especially officers, to sensitive positions.

NEVER SHOULD PRETENDERS AND HYPOCRITES BE ALLOWED TO OCCUPY POSITIONS FOR COLONELS, BRIGADIER GENERALS, MAJOR GENERALS AND THEIR EQUIVALENTS.

AS A MATTER OF FACT EVEN LIEUTENANT COLONELS IN COMMAND AND STAFF APPOINTMENTS MUST BE TRUSTWORTHY, LOYAL, DEDICATED AND SELFLESS. 

IS THAT WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING IN THE GHANA ARMED FORCES, POLICE SERVICE, IMMIGRATION SERVICE, FIRE SERVICE, PRISONS SERVICE, GHANA REVENUE AUTHORITY (CEPS DIVISION)? 

THE ANSWER IS NO.

CRIMINALLY MINDED PERSONS WHO HAVE AMASSED WEALTH BELONGING TO THE STATE (AS MEMBERS OF THE CREATE, LOOT AND SHARE BRIGADE) ARE STILL ENJOYING THEIR BOOTY. THE SAD ASPECT OF THE “INJUSTICE” IS THAT THESE PERSONS HAVE USED AND ARE STILL USING THEIR ILL-GOTTEN MONEY TO INFLUENCE SOME KEY MEMBERS OF THE NPP ADMINISTRATION.

SOME OF THE REVELATIONS ARE DISGUSTING, APPEALING, UNACCEPTABLE AND SHAMEFUL. 

So the likes of Brigadier General AK Dzisi have managed to penetrate the “integrity” doors of the Flagstaff House and are now bragging that they are untouchable.

Our sources at the Flagstaff House have confirmed that Brigadier General AK Dzisi has visited the Flagstaff House and has been “assured” by “those who matter” that in spite of the calls by personnel of the Pay Corps and most officers and men of BURMA CAMP and Accra Garrison he is going nowhere and is staying at post till age catches up with him.