Cry Our Cry Please (1)

The overwhelming euphoria that greeted the victory of the powerful and attractive duo of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the various barracks is gradually but incrementally turning into despondency, despair and uncertainly.

The vim and zeal with which most soldiers, policemen, firemen, prisons officers, immigration officers, customs officers, operatives of the BNI and National Security Secretariat voted for change massively expecting in return “recognition”, “rewards” and reversal of the old order of hatred, victimization, harassment, inequity and injustice are slowly but surely evaporating into the air.

To most of these ardent supporters for change and the NPP, “baboons” worked hard to ensure victory for the NPP but “monkeys” are reaping from where they sowed nothing. Most these persons who are members of the Patriotic Concerned Officers and Men (PACOM) are extremely worried about the developments in our communities.

PACOM has come to the realization that owing to the cosmetic changes in and maintenance of the top hierarchies of the security services, it appears and in fact it is the situation that, the known NDC activists are now enjoying more than expected and in most cases are lording it over their NPP counterparts.

By the cosmetic changes made so far and the inertia at most of the top hierarchies of the security services, the capacities and power bases of the known, vociferous and shameless NDC members have been strengthened.

Officers and men of the NDC continuing in their appointments or shifted to equally attractive positions, posts and appointments are victimizing and ridiculing their colleagues who were ardent supporters of the NPP and played very useful roles to ensure the return of the “Elephant”.

Officers and men of the NDC in sensitive appointments are provoking and mocking at members or sympathizers of the NPP. Some of the NDC officers and men are making the lives of these NPP sympathizers very uncomfortable. With the least opportunity, the NDC members want to show their NPP counterparts where real power lies.

Members of PACOM are unnecessarily being targeted by their NDC “superiors”. There are so many reported cases of NPP sympathizers being “charged” for various “service offences” with flimsy excuses under bizarre circumstances.

A lot of NPP men are undergoing various punishments by way of “extra duty” under harsh conditions, loss of seniority, denial of promotions, denial of participation in peace support operations and denial of participation in any assignments, duty or task that may be attractive, lucrative, professionally rewarding or challenging capable of enhancing their abilities, competences and skills.

Paradoxically, it is the known activists and members of the NDC who are flying very high with juicy appointments thereby “teasing” their NPP colleagues.

For instance, most of the military, police and BNI officers and men at the Flagstaff House (Jubilee House) are NDC sympathizers. Instead of accepting and forwarding the names of the NPP sympathizers, “the entrenched and confirmed” NDC superiors, commanders and chiefs in the various services decided to “push” their own  people into the Presidency thereby filling vacancies that could and should have been filled by the NPP sympathizers.

Bodyguards, drivers, cooks and relatives of some of the former “Top Officers and Men” of the Security Services are now comfortably operating and working at the Flagstaff House, the National Security Secretariat (National, Regional and District Levels) and at Castle.

Some of these “risky elements” are part of the VVIP and VIP Protection Units. Some of them are driving these VVIPs and VIPs. Others are part of even the “Close Protection” Teams. Apart from the potential physical danger that they pose, these “elements” are vital sources of intelligence for the NDC. Vital documents, audio and video recordings are being given to the NDC on regular basis.

The alleged beating of a police officer by some “security” personnel at the Flagstaff House got leaked to the NDC and media houses by the “unkind courtesy” of some of these NDC risky elements who had and still have access to the security devices at the Flagstaff House.

Can we be safe at the Flagstaff House, when known activists and members of the NDC are still in charge in certain locations and places?

How on earth can a former Chief of Staff and the current Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces place a Corporal in the guardroom of the Military Police for over one week on suspicion that he is a member of the NPP and therefore might have leaked information on the military preparations, planned operations and relevant documents to the NPP during the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections? 

Assuming, without admitting that the allegation is true, does it not suggest that the NDC is still in control of affairs in the military?

How on earth can a “loyal Chief of Staff” appointed by the NPP Administration allow such a stupid and reckless action of an extremely arrogant, over ambitiously treacherous and wicked former Chief of Staff to go unnoticed?

Several Commanding Officers of units, Officers Commanding of sub-units, Commanders Rear of Units, Base Commanders of the Air Force and Navy are still in charge and are making life very uncomfortable for those they now perceive as “traitors” instead of being recognized as heroes and heroines under the NPP Administration.

Can we not draw an analogy between what happens after electoral victory to what happens after a successful coup d’état? Coup d’états are primarily unlawful or unacceptable behaviour in democracies. But they remain so only when the coup d’état fails. Any time there is a successful coup d’état, the illegality becomes legalized through the Proclamations, Decrees and Laws that are passed by the “New Order”.

Consequently, what originally was an aberration become the acceptable norm and the order of the day. Similarly, all members of the Security Services are required to be loyal to the incumbent government and therefore Security personnel are expected to show “absolute loyalty” to the Ruling Government.

Any signs of disloyalty may therefore attract “notice or enquiry” and appropriate consequential “reactions” if the incumbent government secures victory. But when an incumbent government loses elections so miserably and abysmally, as happened in 2016, does it not justify the support that members of the security services gave to the Opposition Party which has now become the “Ruling Government”? 

Does the previously considered unacceptable behavior not become a lawful, legitimate, heroic and courageous behavior as successful architects of coup d’états become?

Was it not the successful coup d’états of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) that made Jerry Rawlings a hero in Ghana? 

Was the 15^th May 1979 attempted coup of the same Jerry Rawlings not considered as a treasonable offence attracting a Court Martial Trial?

We are therefore appealing to the beneficiaries of NPP appointments, especially the respective Heads of the various security services, to recognize that fact in order to “cry the cry” of the gallant, heroic and courageous members of PACOM who contributed immensely towards the success story of the duo of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia and the NPP.

Thus, members of PACOM are demanding that “cry our cry” but “do not cry the cry of John Mahama and his NDC” who created, looted and shared the resources of Ghana in an unprecedented manner.

PACOM says “cry our cry” but do not cry for the former service chiefs and the others who are still clinging onto power by the magnanimity of Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP Administration.

Several heads of state institutions, including the security services, are still at post to the annoyance of most concerned NPP members, loyalists and supports because of the way these very senior public officials behaved during the NDC era.

If these heads of state institutions had behaved professionally without any forms of discrimination and biases in favour of or against any group, members of PACOM would have had no problems or would not have any problems with them. It is the unprofessional attitude, arrogance and flagrant show of power which characterized the conduct, behavior and operations of these very senior public officers, especially those in the security services, which have created fear, anxiety and suspicion between them and the concerned rank and file and members of PACOM.

In the military, for instance, all the Commanding Officers of the Army Units are still at post. Most of the Commanding Officers of Army Battalions and Regiments were specially selected by the NDC on their membership of and loyalty to the NDC.

Most of them were briefed on how to assist the NDC to be declared winners of the 2016 elections. The situation was therefore created for them to have unfettered powers and authority to deal with any opposition (mainly the NPP) challenges and threats. That may explain why Lieutenant Colonel Awarbey, Commanding Officer of 3 Infantry Battalion and the Police Regional Commander at Sunyani condoned all the atrocities and harassments meted out to the NPP parliamentary candidates in the Ahafo and other Areas of Brong Ahafo Region.

Similar things were done in some other Regions such as Ashanti, Western, Central and Eastern Regions of Ghana by some Commanding Officers, Officers Commanding, Platoon Commanders, Sergeant-Majors, Senior NCOs and others.

Similar operations were conducted in various parts of the country by security commanders of the Ghana Immigration Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana National Fire Service, Prisons Service and the Ghana Police Service.

Most of these security commanders openly supported the NDC and spoke very unkind and harsh words against the then presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Akuffo-Addo.

For instance, then Lieutenant Colonels and now Colonels Salifu and Gbetanu Commanding Officers 4 Infantry Battalion and 5 Infantry Battalion respectively openly at durbars with troops in Kumasi and Burma Camp openly insulted the current President of the Republic of Ghana.

These two Colonels were alleged to have indicated that Nana Akufo-Addo was vertically handicapped, too old and lacked ideas to rule Ghana. They were advising troops under their command to vote for John Mahama who they claimed had real plans to equip and resource the Ghana Armed Forces. Then Lieutenant Colonel SWK Parbey cast similar insinuations against the current President in the run-off to the 2012 elections as the Commanding Officer of the 4 Infantry Battalion, Kumasi.

Most of the officers who were and still are dyed supporters of the NDC made disparaging remarks about then Presidential Candidate of the NPP with impurity at various military official and non-official Rendez-Vous.

In very recent times, Lieutenant Colonel Asia, then Commander of Ghana’s 4^th Engineer Company in Mali and Captain AKB Vovobu openly insulted the current President, who was then the NPP 

Presidential Candidate, in Mali. Even after Nana Akufo-Addo had been declared winner of the 2016 Presidential elections, the two officers (Lieutenant Colonel Asia and Captain AKB Vovobu) continued insulting the President-elect in the Mission Area.

Colonels Gagakuma and Ntem are also alleged to have made very uncomplimentary comments about the President.

Lieutenant Colonel Merdiemah, who is currently at the Department of Defence Intelligence, is also alleged to have made very reckless and unhelpful statements about the President.

Our source have hinted us that most of these “Against Officers” are being considered for appointments as Commanding Officers of 49 Engineer Regiment and 3 Infantry Battalion respectively while Colonel Gagakuma is to take over from Colonel Agyarkwa as Director Supply and Transport.

These are some of the worries of the members of PACOM. The question agitating the minds of our PACOM friends is that known disloyal senior officers are being sent to sensitive commands and appointments in the Ghana Armed Forces while those considered to be very loyal have either been ignored or marginalized.

Members of PACOM are expecting that absolute or clear loyalty to the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces and the NPP Administration would be one of the major criteria for the appointment of Commanding Officers. It may not be enough to appoint persons on professional competence and merit. Loyalty may have to take precedence over only professional competence.

It is argued by members of PACOM that Majors and very Junior Lieutenant Colonels who are very loyal may be preferred over Senior Lieutenant Colonels.

Members of PACOM are equally worried over the officers and men at the Department of Defence Intelligence. Most, if not all, of the officers and men currently at GHQ (DI) are dyed in wool members or supporters of the NDC. The Komlagas, Salifus and Mustaphas are certainly very loyal members of the NDC and should be posted out of GHQ (DI) as a matter of urgency. Other officers and men with GHQ (DI) must be posted out for seemingly very loyal ones to be appointed in their places.

As long as the disloyal officers and men are kept at the Defence Intelligence, the NPP Administration and the Military High Command risk having all sorts of sabotaging activities. Military secrets and confidential matters will be at mercy of these NDC members and sympathizers.

His Excellency the President of the Republic and the NPP should not forget that the NDC is preparing feverishly to recapture power in 2020.