Anger In The Military (2)

Furthermore, several pieces of evidence abound to support the assertion that Commodore Moses Beick-Baffour is incongruous for the position of Chief of Staff in the Ghana Armed Forces owing to the ethnocentric and politically biased promotions and appointments that he initiated, ensured and supervised when he was the Military Secretary.

With the Adetis, Adokpas, Fiawoos, Agbekas, Ametepis and Gbekles, Commodore Beick-Baffour was always eager to save his “Nyebros” by either promoting them to the higher ranks or extending their services in order to escape compulsory retirement on account of age.

For instance in March 2016, two very unusual and unprecedented promotions were made exclusively for Ewe officers in the Pay Crops. Then Colonels Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu (GH/2140) and Anthony Kwasi Dzisi (GH/2334) were hurriedly promoted Brigadier Generals on 2^nd March 2016.

With 10^th May 1959 as his date of birth, then Colonel AK Dzisi was due for retirement compulsorily on account of age on 10^th May 2016. Colonel AK Dzisi had already attended the interview of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to be honorably released from the service as he was nearing his 57^th birthday (the compulsory retiring age of Colonels and equivalents).

Fortunately for Colonel AK Dzisi, on the 4^th of January 2016, then Brigadier General SK Adeti was appointed the Chief of Staff. It was on the same 4^th January 2016 that then Air Vice Marshal M Samson-Oje, Commodore PK Faidoo and Air Commodore Nagai were also appointed Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff respectively.

With Brigadier General SK Adeti providing him the necessary support and assistance, Commodore Beick-Baffour was able to secure the appointment of Colonel AK Dzisi as the Defence Financial Controller with the commensurate rank of Brigadier General.

The effective date of Brigadier General AK Dzisi’s appointment was deferred and was to be determined later (DTN-Date to be Notified). Colonel CE Edjeani-Afenu who was then on diplomatic duties as the Deputy MILAD in New York was to wear her rank of Brigadier General on her return to home establishment (RHE).

At the time that these unusual ethnocentric and politically motivated appointments were made and published by Commodore Beick-Baffour as the Military Secretary, there was a sitting Defence Financial Controller in the person of Brigadier General E Abdulai (GH/1915).

Thus, as at 2^nd March 2016, the Pay Corps had three Brigadier Generals (one Northerner and two Ewes). Brigadier General AK Dzisi was therefore to wait until August 2016 when he took over from Brigadier General E Abdulai who had reached his compulsory retiring age on 10^th April 2016.

Interestingly, a similar opportunity had been given to then Colonel E Abdulai in 2013 when he was promoted Brigadier General to escape compulsory retirement on account of age at a time that Brigadier General Y Nyamekye-Yeboah (GH/1679) was the Defence Financial Controller. 

Brigadier General Nyanekye-Yeboah reached his compulsory retirement at age 60 years on 1^st January 2014 (with 1^st January 1954 as his date of birth) but also stayed on until August 2014 when Brigadier General E Abdulai, who had been seconded to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, was permitted to take over as the Defence Financial Controller.

Today, with the kind courtesy and benevolence of Commodore Beick-Baffour and Major General SK Adeti, the appointment of Defence Financial Controller has been secured for two Ewes in succession. With 10^th May 1959 as his birth date, Brigadier General AK Dzisi would be due for compulsory retirement on account of age on 10^th May 2019, barring any mis-happenings, which should happen soon.

Hopefully, Brigadier General AK Dzisi would hand over the baton to Brigadier General CE Edjeani-Afenu whose birth date is 5^th March 1960 and would therefore reach her compulsory retiring age on 5^th March 2020. 

When Commodore Beick-Baffour has made these “futures” secured for his “Nyebros”, can he successfully exonerate himself from the ethnocentric appointments and promotions that were engineered and sustained in the Ghana Armed Forces during the NDC Administration?

Why did Commodore Beick-Baffour not ensure that similar forms of magnanimity were extended to some “Akan and non Akan officers suspected to be NPP sympathizers?

For instance, why were Group Captain JEK Ankah and Colonel GS Yakubu not given similar dispensations but were earmarked for release?

Group Captain JEK Ankah, Colonel GS Yakubu, Group Captain RMK Datsa, Brigadier General STM Osabutey and Brigadier General AK Dzisi are all mates of RCC 28. Whereas the Nyebros and their Ga-Adangbe cousins were given positive preferential treatment, the Ankahs and Yakubus were denied fair and equitable treatment.

Would Commodore Beick-Baffour explain why Group Captains JEK Ankah and RMK Datsa were both earmarked for compulsory retirement and given notices to that effect (process initiated by Commodore Beick-Baffour with letters from General Headquarters to Airforce Headquarters) and yet only Group Captain JEK Ankah was to be released while Group Captain RMK Datsa was sent on peace support operations in Mali as the Administrative and Financial officer of GHAV 2 on 21^st September 2015?

Group Captain RMK Datsa (GH/2321) has 7^th October 1958 as his date of birth and therefore reached his compulsory retiring age on 7^th October 2015. 

Yet, with the connivance of Commodore Beick-Baffour and then Air Vice Marshal Samson Oje, Group Captain RMK Datsa was cleverly and strategically sent to Mali where he has since been without any indication of his immediate or imminent release, Group Captain JEK Ankah (GH/2332) could not benefit from a similar arrangement as he is perceived to be a sympathizer of the NPP. 

Group Captain Ankah, whose birth date is 15^th December 1958, has been released from the Service while Group Captain RMK Datsa whose birth date is 7^th October 1958 is still in the Service by courtesy of Commodore Beick-Baffour.

Colonel GS Yakubu (GH/2322) is about to suffer the fate of Group Captain JEK Ankah. With 23^rd February 1960 as his date of birth, Colonel GS Yakubu has already been served with a notice of intended release on account of age. But the truth is that Commodore Beick-Baffour agreed with Colonel JK Akou-Adjei (GH/2268), Army Secretary until he left for course overseas, USA, to deny Colonel GS Yakubu promotion to the rank of Brigadier General thereby making his release from the Ghana Armed Forces imminent.

A similar discrimination against Akan officers in the Medical Corps has been taking place ever since Commodore Beick-Baffour and Colonel JK Akou-Adjei (both from the Volta Region) assumed the appointments of Military Secretary and Army Secretary respectively. 

Only Doctors and Nurses considered to be politically and ethnocentrically correct were promoted Colonels and Brigadier Generals under the regimes of late John Mills and John Mahama when Commodore Beick-Baffour was the Military Secretary.

The cases of the following Doctors and Nurses would be used to buttress this assertion.

The following four doctors were commissioned into the Ghana Armed Forces on 14^th August 1987 initially as Lieutenants and not Captains as required by the Armed Forces Regulations and corrected to Captains a few years later when General Arnold Quainoo regained his “sanity”: Dr Ernest Crosby Saka (Jnr) GH/2281), Dr Christopher Kwasi Agbeka (GH/2282), Dr Michael Akwasi Yeboah-Agyapong (GH/2287) and Dr Ralph Kojo Ametepi (GH/2284).

On 5^th January 2000, then Majors EC Saka, CK Agbeka and MA Yeboah-Agyapong were promoted Lieutenant Colonel while then Major RK Ametepi was also promoted Lieutenant Colonel on 21^st December 2000.

On 25^th January 2007, then Lieutenant Colonels EC Saka, CK Agbeka and MA Yeboah-Agyapong were promoted to the rank of Colonel as Officers in charge of OBS and GYNAE, Continuing Medicine Mil Hospital and CO UNOCI GHANAMED 9 respectively. Lieutenant Colonel RK Ametepi was promoted Colonel on 8^th August 2007 as Deputy Director GHQ(Med) to replace Colonel Apeagyei who had been elevated to the status of Deputy Director General (Medical).

From the two promotions of 2000 and 2007, Colonels EC Saka, CK Agbeka and MA Yeboah-Agyapong had maintained their seniority over Colonel RK Ametepi.

But surprisingly, when Surgical Commodore Laryea and Brigadier General PY Kponyoh left the service after serving as Commanders Military Hospital and Director Generals (Medical) at General Headquarters and Brigadier General M Alhassan (GH/2204) was appointed the Director General (Medical) the equation changed in favour of then Colonel RK Ametepi.

Colonel RK Ametepi was appointed Commander 37 Military Hospital to partner Brigadier General M Alhassan as the head of the Medical Corps. Colonel Samuel Otis Bel-Nono (GH/2233) was appointed the Deputy Director General (Medical) while Colonel SK Adjei (GH/2343) was appointed Commanding Officer 37 Military Hospital ahead of his Seniors, Colonels EC Saka, CK Agbeka and MA Yeboah-Agyapong.

On 28^th August 2014, then Colonel RK Ametepi became a Brigadier General and the Commander 37 Military Hospital while then Colonel EC Saka was made Director (Medical) at GHQ (Medical). Thus, Colonel EC Saka was denied the appointment of Commander 37 Military Hospital and the commensurate promotion to the rank of Brigadier General because he was perceived to be a sympathizer of the NPP.

On 2^nd March 2016, Brigadier General RK Ametepi was elevated to the status of Director General (Medical) at the General Headquarters and by the Grace of God, then Colonel EC Saka was appointed the Commander 37 Military Hospital with the rank of Brigadier General.

Colonel MA Yeboah-Agyapong was also comforted with the appointment of Commanding officer 37 Military Hospital while Colonel CK Agbeka was also elevated to the status of Deputy Director General (Medical).

The Nyebro strategists were at their strategizing best once more as far as Dr CK Agbeka was concerned.

Just as was done for him in 2007 when a non existing vacancy was created for him to be Officer-In-Charge “Continuing Medicine” to be at par with Dr EC Saka who had been made OIC OBS x GYNAE, another non-existing appointment has been created for Dr. CK Agbeka to be the Commander of the Yet-To-Be-Established Kumasi Military Hospital with the rank of Brigadier General with effect from 2^nd November 2016.

Both Doctors Ametepi and Agbeka are part of the “Ewe Mafia” that is well coordinated by Brigadier General AK Adokpa, Commodore Beick-Baffour and others. 

Unfortunately, that opportunity has not been given to Colonel MA Yeboah-Agyapong!

In the case of the Nursing Officers, two “special ones” were selected out of a batch and promoted Colonel without any formulated establishment leaving the rest to be retired compulsorily on account of age. The two special ones were Lieutenant Colonel Ivy Lena Tamakloe (GH/2015) and Lieutenant Colonel Gladys Amantana (GH/2060).

Colonels Vida Otoo (GH/2012) and Mercy Yelbert (GH/2014) had been appointed as Director Nursing (GHQ Med) and Matron 37 Mil Hospital respectively, thereby filling and exhausting the only two vacancies for Nursing Officers at the time.

Then suddenly came the promotions of the two “special ones” to the rank of Colonel with yet-to-be-promulgated establishments of Deputy Matron (Admin) and Deputy Matron (Clinical). Colonel IL Tamakloe, no doubt, is an active member of the Ewe Mafia while Colonel G Amantana was a school-mate of Mr. John Mahama.

After the promotion of the two “special ones” by Commodore Beick-Baffour and his Military Command, the rest of the good but politically incorrect Nursing officers were released compulsorily on account of age.

Those affected were Lieutenant Colonels Eunice Ohetse Lamptey, Joyce Joan Esaa Opoku, Joelina Eileen Cole, Leonora Dzansi (Mrs), Dinah Adjetey-Adjei, Margaret Dansoa Somuah-Yiadom, Ellen Eleanor Akua Dzantor, Beatrice Narduh Laryea, Genevieve Lokko, Comfort Krofaa Mamah and Lieutenant Colonel Veronica Nana Edua Nartey.

After the departure of the “unfortunate ones”, another opportunity has been created for some selected Nursing Officers to be promoted to the rank of Colonels on 2^nd November 2016. They are Colonel Emelia Duah (GH/2296)-Matron, Colonel Victoria Nyeley Oku (GH/2299)- Deputy Matron (Clinical), Colonel Sabina Owusu Akorful (GH/2352)-Principal NMTC, Colonel Josephine Osei-Vowotor (GH/2471)- Deputy Matron (Admin) and Colonel Annie Djokoto (GH/2482)-Deputy Matron (Admin)

These promotions have been strategically done to tie the hands of the incoming Military High Command and the NPP Administration.

The Ametepis and Agbekas have managed to get their favourites promoted Colonel to escape compulsory retirement on account of age and to position them favorably for future appointments especially when the restructuring of the Ghana Armed Forces Medical Service is implemented.

Can Commodore Beick-Baffour deny knowledge of and participation in this strategy?

By the way why is Brigadier General RK Ametepi still at post?  With 9^th September 1956 as his date of birth, Brigadier General Ametepi turned 60 years on 9^th September 2016 and is to be retired compulsory to pave way for Colonel MA Yeboah-Agyapong who is the only one of their Medical Intake who is still a Colonel and runs the risk of being retired compulsorily at 60 years with 20^th June 1957 as his date of birth.

Can Commodore Beick-Baffour advise his “countryman” Brigadier General CK Gyasensir, to advise the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff to retire Brigadier General RK Ametepi to pave the way for Colonel MA Yeboah-Agyapong to become the next Commander 37 Military Hospital so that he can also be promoted Brigadier General? 

Or alternatively, can Commodore Beick-Baffour influence the creation of a vacancy at 37 Military Hospital as Commanding Officer/Rector of the Postgraduate School to enable Colonel MA Yeboah-Agyapong to also wear the enviable rank of Brigadier General?

Please do that to help a friend in need as you did for Brigadier Generals RK Ametepi, CK Agbeka and Moses Kofi Gyeke Asante who you find to be politically correct.

If an appointment such as “Special Legal Adviser to the CDS” can be created ostensibly to promote a “bootlicker par excellence”; why can’t same be extended to a Senior Oral/Max Specialist of the caliber of Doctor Colonel MA Yeboah-Agyapong who holds genuine specialist Fellowships from Nigeria, UK and Ghana?

What is this victimization that is being promoted by Major General SK Adeti about? Is it true that on Friday 17^th February 2017, Major General SK Adeti called 195901 Cpl Adabanka Emmanuel in the presence of Commodore Beick-Baffour to accuse him of being an agent for the NPP in his office? 

No amount of denial by the poor soldier could convince the once immanent General SK Adeti. 

Rather surprisingly, Commodore Beick-Baffour, who is a lawyer, could not come to the aid of the poor soldier nor give him the benefit of doubt as there was no corroboration of the one-sided allegation preferred against the soldier by Major General SK Adeti. The soldier was posted from GHQ, Accra to Takoradi with effect from that Friday 17^th February 2017.

But before the “poor boy” could pack his things to leave for his new station, he was picked by the Military Police, on the orders of Commodore Moses Beick-Baffour, and has been in the guard room ever since.

You are begging yet you are showing needless bravado. What is this arrogance and intoxication? Who does Major General Adeti think he is? Even under an Administration of Nana Akufo-Addo, Major General Adeti is able to accuse a soldier of being an agent for or a member of the NPP to summarily punish him without formal charges and trial for any service offence(s)!!

“Ei, did we go or did we come” as our rural folks would say

When are we going to see the real changes in the Ghana Armed Forces and the other Security Services? Do we have to wait until the President confirms the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Staff before the benefits of the change in government effected on 7^th January 2017 are realized?

Do we have to be slaves still with Nana Addo as President and Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces? When shall we be liberated from the shackles of domination? 

I urge Major Generals Ayamdo and Akwa to be firm to deal with these unprofessional and barbaric tendencies of some military personnel. The excessive arrogance and pride of the Adetis, Adokpas, Fiawoos, Kporkus, Allohs, Gbekles, Agbekas, Ametepis, Ayers and Dzisis must be checked and checked now. 

They do not seem to appreciate that Ghanaians, in the majority, have voted for change that does not countenance the “Yentie obiara”, “Yen fii obiara”, “Yen mman obiara” to wit, we will not listen to anyone; we will not respect anyone; we do not mind anyone.