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 22nd
January 2009.
On Monday 26th 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 28th 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 28th 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 7th
January 2017 positions or have been given yet very attractive and juicy posts
after 7th 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.
