Anger In The Military

It may be an understatement that there is anger in all the barracks (Military, Police, Prisons, Immigration, Fire Service and Customs).

All the ardent supporters for change and indeed the return of the NPP to executive and legislative power feel betrayed, dejected, disappointed and humiliated owing to the unexpected turn of events and developments in the various Services, Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Authorities and Boards.

It is a fact today that the NPP and its former Presidential Candidate and now President of the Republic are in power but they are not in effective control of the political, economic and social sectors of the Ghanaian society.

The NDC managed to position its supporters, sympathizers and members in charge of all the security services, MDAs, economic and social heights of the Ghanaian society. The NDC embarked on a massive recruitment drive in order to get its people in charge of all that they survey in Ghana.

By the strategy, the NDC has empowered its members and supporters to the extent that only bold, decisive and uncompromising stance would have to be taken by the Commander-In-Chief, his representatives and appointees to the various MDAs, Security Services, Institutions, Authorities, Boards and Organizations in order to regain control over, establish and maintain sanity in all the public sectors.

The NDC is poised to sabotage the NPP in its efforts to implement all the attractive manifesto and campaign promises. With the looted money, property and recruited personnel in all the public sectors, the NDC is preparing feverishly and seriously to “buy back” political power.

Most NPP sympathizers, supporters and members in the barracks are very worried over these developments especially against the background that “very known NDC officers and men are “still in charge” of most of the sensitive positions and appointments.

Most of the NPP loyalists are calling for REAL CHANGE and not COSMETIC CHANGE.

For instance, in the Ghana Armed Forces, most NPP loyalists are disappointed in the appointments made so far. The recycling of officers in the Military High Command left much to be desired. All the John Mahama faithfuls are still in charge of very sensitive positions. The fear of the NPP loyalists is that the longer the NDC and John Mahama faithfuls are left in very sensitive positions, the more difficult it will be for the NPP to have an effective command and control of the Armed Forces.

The NDC faithfuls would derail all plans by the NPP to improve upon the conditions, welfare and well-being of the Security Services. The retention of the NDC loyalists would not make it possible for the NPP to deal with the corruption and destruction that have taken place in the Ghana Armed Forces. There is no doubt that a lot of corrupt practices, inappropriate actions and malpractices took place in the Ghana Armed Forces between 7 January 2009 and 6 January 2017.

Right from the time of Generals JH Smith as Minister for Defence and PA Blay as the Chief of Defence Staff respectively through the appointments of Vice Admiral M Quashie and Air Marshal M Samson-Oje as the Chiefs of Defence Staff to date, there have been several allegations of corrupt practices, inappropriate actions and malpractices that require urgent investigations and appropriate corrective measures.

For instance, various lands of the Ghana Armed Forces or the state under the care or control of the Ghana Armed Forces have been misappropriated. Some of these lands have either been stolen or shared among some former and current members of the Military High Command, politicians, family members, friends and businessmen of the NDC fraternity.

In some cases, under the guise of the Public Private Partnership (PPP), military lands, facilities, installations and property have been given away for selfish reasons to the detriment of the Ghana Armed Forces and public interest. Lands in Accra, Sekondi-Takoradi, Kumasi, Sunyani and Tamale have been alienated under agreements that are inimical to the interests of the Ghana Armed Forces and nation.

Some former Generals and serving officers were and are still part of the rot that took place and is still taking place in the Ghana Armed Forces.

The issue of acquisition of military assets, accoutrements and necessaries must be re-examined to see whether the Ghana Armed Forces had real value for money.

Another project that needs thorough investigation is the Armed Forces Bank which exists currently in the form of a Non-Banking Financial Institution. The Services Integrity Savings and Loans (SIS&L) Financial Institution must be subjected to forensic audit. The processes, procedures and strategies used and culminating in the establishment of the Services Integrity Savings and Loans (SIS&L) Financial Institution must be thoroughly investigated. 

The role of Brigadier General AK Adokpa (the former Director General Defence Industries Department and Director Resettlement) and his MAWULI schoolmates must be made known to the public.

Issues related to the establishment of the Provident Fund, its management and position or role in relation to the establishment of the Services Integrity Savings and Loans (SIS&L) Financial Institution must be known.

For instance, who were and are the managers of the Provident Fund? What was the initial amount deposited with the Fund Managers? How far has the Fund grown? What is the real relationship between the Provident Fund and the Services Integrity Savings and Loans (SIS&L) Financial Institution? 

Another area of concern to the NPP loyalists in the Ghana Armed Forces is the management of their peace-keeping money and allowances and the acquisition of vehicles and essential equipment for peace support operations in Southern Sudan, Liberia, Lebanon, Ivory Coast and Mali.

There are allegations that various types of Chinese second-hand vehicles and equipment that became unserviceable within extremely short periods were acquired by former President John Mahama and his Military High Command for home use and peace support operations.

Most of these acquisitions were done when then Commodore Biekro and Major General Saagbul were Chiefs of Staff; General PA Blay, Admiral Quashie and Air Marshal Oje were Chiefs of Defence Staff and John Mahama was Vice President and President of the Republic of Ghana respectively.

Ghana has become a laughing stock in some of the Mission Areas. A lot of vehicles and equipment used by Ghanaian peacekeepers are not as suitable and serviceable as per the standards of the United Nations. The situation has become more worrisome now that Ghana is operating under the “Wet Lease System” which requires that Ghana should pre-finance the acquisition of all necessaries for their peace support operations to be reimbursed later by the United Nations.

All these concerns could be properly addressed if the Ghana Armed Forces were to be given a truly independent, impartial, honest and loyal Military High Command. It is feared that apart from General OB Akwa whose “hands are clean”, the same cannot be said of the rest of the Military High Command appointed or re-affirmed between the 8^th and 10^th February 2017.

 The current members of the Military High Command with the exception of General OB Akwa may be considered as direct allies of the immediate past members of the Military High Command.

The dodgiest member of the current Military High Command is my new found friend, Commodore Moses Beick-Baffour. The links between Commodore M Beick-Baffour  and General PA Blay, Vice Admiral Quashie, Rear Admiral Biekro, Rear Admiral Kofi Faidoo and Brigadier General AK Adokpa are such that no real investigations into all these allegations of malfeasance, malpractices and inappropriate actions detrimental to the interests of the Ghana Armed Forces and the nation could be conducted with him as the Chief of Staff.

The position of the Chief of Staff is very important in the Ghana Armed Forces. The Chief of Staff is the nerve centre of the administration, command and control of the Chief of Defence Staff over the affairs of the Armed Forces. The Chief of Staff coordinates the activities of the three services-Army, Navy and Airforce.

Again, the Chief of Staff coordinates the activities of the three highest institutions of the Ghana Armed Forces namely Military Academy and Training Schools (MATS), Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC).

Moreover, the office of the Chief of Staff is the link between the foreign missions of the Ghana Armed Forces (Defence Advisers, Defence, Military, Naval and Airforce Attaches) and the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs.

Additionally, the Chief of Staff plays major roles in the appointments and promotions of officers for both tri-service and single service vacancies.

Considering the fact that the Chief of Staff would play very useful and key roles in the need for real change in order to have equity and sanity in the Ghana Armed Forces, the past records and posture of Commodore Moses Beick-Baffour make him unsuitable and absurd for the appointment of the Chief of Staff.

My new friend Commodore Beick-Baffour has demonstrated beyond all reasonable doubts that he cannot be trusted to be fair, impartial and independent in his judgment. He is an active member of the cabal that seeks the best for only his tribesmen and perhaps those who are loyal to the NDC while at the same time he seeks to destroy Akan officers and Non Akans suspected to be loyal to the NPP.

A few examples would be given to support these assertions. 

As the Military Secretary, Commodore Beick-Baffour did everything possible to ensure the appointments and promotions of his tribesmen while denying same to some Akans and Non Akans suspected to be NPP sympathizers.

For instance then Colonels Alex Kofi Appiah-Agyapong (GH/1930), Cecilia Akyiaa-Gambrah (GH/2134) and Anthony Komla Adokpa (GH/1957) had 1956 as years of birth. The dates of birth of the three officers are 26^th October 1956, 22^nd March 1956 and 20^th March 1956 respectively. Thus, on account of age (57 years), the three officers were due for retirement compulsorily in 2013 (i.e. 20^th March 2013 for the then Colonel AK Adokpa, 22^nd March 2013 for Colonel C Akyiaa-Ganbrah and 26^th October 2013 for Colonel AK Appiah-Agyapong).

The only thing that could save any of the three officers from the imminent compulsory retirement was either promotion to the rank of Brigadier General or an extension of service by either their Service Commanders or the Chief of Defence Staff.

Interestingly, Colonels C Akyiaa-Gambrah and AK Appiah-Agyapong were released strictly according to their dates of birth while then Colonel AK Adokpa was made to stay in the Service as a Colonel from 20^th March 2013 till 20^th December 2013 when he was promoted Brigadier General and confirmed as the Director General Defence Industries Department (DG DID) which appointment he had been holding since 26^th April 2013.

Additionally, Brigadier General AK Adokpa maintained his position as Director of Resettlement at the General Headquarters.

Another wicked action of Commodore Beick-Baffour is the compulsory retirement of Colonel AK Asare (GH/1980). Colonel AK Asare was made to act as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) then Northern Command when the former GOC, then Brigadier General R Opoku-Adusei (GH/2127) was elevated to the status of Chief of Army Staff.

Rather strangely, Colonel AK Asare was made to hand over his duties as Acting GOC to then Colonel JA Boampong (GH/2176), a very close friend of Brigadier General AK Adokpa.

Subsequently, Colonel AK Asare was compulsorily retired while Colonel JA Boampong was promoted Brigadier General. Though Brigadier General JA Boampong is an Ashanti, by his closest association with Brigadier General AK Adokpa and the cabal, he was considered as a loyal NDC officer and rewarded appropriately. Currently, he is the Defence Adviser to China.

Yet another roguish action of Commodore Beick-Baffour is the compulsory retirement of Naval Captain EK Ankamah (GH/2159). 

Commodore Beick-Baffour always saw Captain (GN) EK Ankamah as a threat to his ambition to becoming a Chief of Naval Staff (CNS). Naval Captain EK Ankamah and now Rear Admiral Seth Amoama were mates of Intake RCC 23 and were therefore a year senior in service to Commodore Beick-Baffour of Intake RCC 24.  

The main competitors (or rivals) of Commodore Beick-Baffour were Commodore S Appiah-Mensah (rtd) and Commodore AB Osei (GH/2076).

Fortunately for Commodore Beick-Baffour his closest intake rival then Commander Seth Appiah-Mensah retired from the Navy voluntarily after winning an American Visa Lotto thereby relocating with his entire family to the United States. Then Commander S Appiah-Mensah left his appointment as the Second ADC to President JA Kufuor (at a time then Colonel Adjei, the substantive ADC, had been earmarked for appointment as Defence Adviser, London, UK)

With a sigh of relief, after the departure of Commader S Appiah-Mensah, Naval Captain and later Commodore Beick-Baffour set out to deal with his real competitors. It was easier to deal with the threat of Naval Captain Ankamah who appeared to be “over-aged” as compared with then Naval Captain AB Osei.

With 1^st July 1958 as his date of birth, Naval Captain Kofi Ankamah was due for compulsory retirement on account of age on 1^st July 2015. Commodore Beick-Baffour ensured that Naval Captain Ankamah was not promoted to the rank of Commodore to escape compulsory retirement at the age of 57 years.

In the case of then Naval Captain AB Osei, it took the divine intervention of God for him to be promoted Commodore on 2^nd November 2016 after Commodore Beick-Baffour had handed over the duties of Military Secretary to his kinsman, Brigadier General CK Gyasensir (GH/2166).

Even on the 2^nd November 2016 now Commodore AB Osei was saved by the obvious one sided promotion of only his tribesmen to the rank of Brigadier General and its equivalents. It was on the same 2^nd November 2016, when it had become obvious that the NDC would lose the elections in December 2016, that Colonels CK Agbeka (GH/2282) and SMKAE Ayer (GH/2033) were promoted Brigadier Generals. It was the possible political costs of those “Ewes promotions” that enabled the “Hand of God” to touch the heart of President John Mahama to include the name of Commodore AB Osei. 

The promotion of Commodore AB Osei was a surprise to the cabal and infuriated them. Commodore Beick-Baffour had worked everything out with the “double face” Rear Admiral Faidoo to deny then Naval Captain AB Osei promotion so that he could be released in December 2016 as his date of birth is 15^th December 1959. The promotion of Commodore AB Osei was a set-back for the Faidoo-Beick-Baffour agenda.

One would have thought that with the advent of the NPP administration of Nana Addo, the duo of Faidoo-Beick-Baffour would discontinue with their diabolical plan of retiring or frustrating Commodore AB Osei. That was not to be. The cabal has managed to get Commodore AB Osei posted out of the Ministry of Defence (the Square) to a humiliating appointment at the Western Naval Command where his junior is to be the FOC. 

As the Principal General Staff Officer (PGSO) at the Sqaure, Commodore AB Osei was influential and therefore had a better job satisfaction than what he is being offered. The sad aspect of Commodore AB Osei’s ill treatment is the fact that he would have been very useful to the new Minister of Defence and Chief Director owing to his long stay at the Square.

The outgone government appointed Dr Dzikunu as Chief Director in November 2016 just a few weeks before the 2016 elections as part of the grand agenda to be in control of all they survey while the NPP exercises political power. As members of the reconstituted Armed Forces Council, Rear Admiral Faidoo, Dr. Dzikunu and the FSM with a surprising tacit approval of the Minister of Defence have managed to push Commodore AB Osei to oblivion in order to have their way at the Square.

The Chief Director, Rear Admiral Faidoo and Commodore Beick-Baffour are not comfortable with Commodore AB OSei’s powerful appointment at the Square. They think that he knows “too much” and “so much” about developments at the Ministry of Defence. Obviously, Commodore AB Osei has become a “threat” to their interests.

But objective minded loyal NPP officers and men are worried over the transfer or postings of Commodore AB Osei. The replacement of Commodore AB Osei with Brigadier General Musah Whajah is even more worrisome and incongruous. General Whajah is one of the senior-most Brigadier Generals and was therefore expecting an elevation to the rank of two star general as was done for Major General SK Adeti.

Moreover, any human resource expert would recommend General Whajah for a key field and command appointment such as Commandant MATS or continuation as GOC even if it for the Northern Command rather than a demanding staff appointment as PGSO at the Square.

It is quite surprising that the Defence Minister could not read through the trap of the cabal to “remove” Commodore AB Osei from the Square for selfish rather than service interest. With the departure of Commodore AB Osei and the arrival of Colonel S Adorkor to beef up the already “NDC infested Square”, the stage is set for leakage of secret and confidential information about the Ministry of Defence and the Ghana Armed Forces.

With this decision on Commodore AB Osei, the Minister of Defence, the NPP as a party and government are the losers. This decision could be reviewed to avert any catastrophe.

General Okyere’s Nonsense

A lot of officers and men who fought bravely to ensure the return of the elephant to “executive power” in Ama Ghana are harbouring anger and pain over the developments in the Ghana Armed Forces in recent times.

When rumours were rife that Brigadier General Francis Vib-Sanziri was to be appointed the Chief of Army Staff, several senior officers including Generals and Colonels, serving and retired, opposed the idea vehemently. 

Little did they know that the worst form of that decision was to follow. Some of the senior officers who “hated” General Sanziri are beginning to revise their notes following the decision by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to appoint Naval Commodore Moses Beick-Baffour (GH/2073) as the Chief of Staff to replace Major General Sampson Kudjo Adeti (GH/2025).

These “Latter Day Saints” are now saying that the angel you know not cannot be better than the devil you know. 

Certainly, Major General SK Adeti is the devil who is known and appears to be repenting and is eager to do positive business with the NPP administration.

Between Commodore M Beick-Baffour and Major General Adeti, the pendulum of the opinion court is apparently in favour of the latter.

Major General SK Adeti has done his worst during the 2016 elections and his position is known.

Commodore M Beick-Baffour has been a thorn in the flesh of Akans and NPP sympathizers.

Using his appointment as the Military Secretary, Commodore M Beick-Baffour persecuted a lot of Akan officers including the Appiah-Agyapongs. He denied several Akan officers their due promotions and appointments. He assisted the Biekros to truncate the military career of the Adjaye-Gaisies with concocted pieces of evidence.

He delayed the promotions of some Akan and NPP sympathetic officers such as those of the Darkwas, Appiah-Kubis, Danquahs and Aphous while facilitating and precipitating those of the Edjeanis and Dzisis. He and the Adokpas, Akou-Adjeis, Ametepis, Agbekas and the Adetis decided the fate of several Akan and non Akan NPP sympathizers.

Commodore M Beick-Baffour had the support of the Steve Obimpehs and the Flagstaff House to decide on who gets appointments, promotions or released from the Ghana Armed Forces. It was Commodore Beick-Baffour who set the agenda with the Adokpas and rest of the Dzelukope Mafia to persuade Service Commanders to do as they wished.

Consequently, the Opoku Aduseis and Obed Akwas were just to rubber stamp decisions of Commodore M Beick Baffour and his Mafia.

They decided on which officers would attend which foreign courses-young officers, Combat Team Commanders, Junior and Senior Command and Staff, War Colleges and Institutes of Defence Strategic Studies and civil courses.

That explains why the Akou-Adejeis and Mustaphas are given courses in the USA and “most preferred countries”-UK, Canada, France, Nigeria and China.

The criteria for the selection of officers for these courses were doctored or prepared to favour “themselves” to the detriment of hardworking, intelligent and professionally upright Akan and non-Akan officers considered to be sympathetic to the course of NPP.

It is in the light of all these “atrocities” against the elephant fraternity that Commodore M Beick-Baffour has again dribbled his way into the forefront of the NPP pretending to be a “born again”. How can such a wicked hypocrite become a genuine born again NPP sympathizer?

Yet, he has managed to play his cards very well using the Ewe Caucus in the Bar, Bench and NPP to become acceptable as a preferred candidate over the Boimahs and Dzamefes to become the Chief of Staff. He has managed to beat the likes of the Omane Agyekums who have sacrificed and suffered under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regimes of yester years and the recent past.

What concerned NPP sympathizers are asking is this simple question: “IS IT WORTH DYING FOR THE NPP?”

Most respondents are of the opinion that comparing what the NDC is always prepared to do for their members and sympathizers and those of the NPP; the answer is a big NO.

Imagine some of the childish and silly arguments being used to support the candidature of Commodore Beick-Baffour: that because Major General SK Adeti is an Ewe (Voltarian) and has been relieved of his appointment, another Ewe (Voltarian) must take his place. 

Secondly, amongst the Ewe (Voltarian) officers who are mostly NDC sympathizers Commodore Beick-Baffour appears to be a “mild NDC” sympathizer.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth! If Commodore M Beick-Baffour’s support for the NDC is considered to be “mild” then I can imagine what a serious NDC supporter in the officer corps would look like!!

For those who do not know how Commodore Beick-Baffour operates, he is more dangerous than Major General SK Adeti. At least Major General SK Adeti is not a hypocrite. Neither is he a pretender.

Right from his Subaltern days (Lieutenant and Captain), Major General SK Adeti has been consistently a pro PNDC and NDC officer. Major General Adeti never for once hid his links with the P/NDC. As a matter of fact, as a young officer, Major General Adeti had the portrait of Jerry Rawlings with him and openly displayed it in his rooms (at Messes and Married Quarters).

Additionally, Major General Adeti was always ready to defend Jerry Rawlings and his two coup d’états (4 June 1979 and 31 December 1982).

I may not like Major General SK Adeti because of the Southern Command pick-up and related issues but as an observer, these are character traits of honesty, bravery and consistency.   

But can the same be said of Commodore M Beick-Baffour? Big NO. 

Commodore Beick-Baffour has always been opportunistic. He dances to the tune of the political order of the day. 

In his young officer days until Lieutenant Commander, he was always with the PNDC and NDC. He managed to get seconded to the Ghana Maritime Academy, Fisheries Department, the Ministries and appropriate Institutions and Agencies where his expertise in the Navy and the Maritime world would be useful to propel him to prosperity.

During the era of President Kufuor, then Commander Beick-Baffour managed to use the Gyaasaayars (Justice) and others to get what he wanted. 

Then came the NDC under Presidents Mills and Mahama, then Captain (GN) and now Commodore Beick-Baffour would use his “anchor” in the Volta Region and mast in the Biekros and Faidoos to get what he wanted.

Again, under President Nana Addo, Commodore Beick-Baffour is in the limelight having “washed his hands” well and is set to be appointed Chief of Staff and promoted Rear Admiral which will catapult him to become the next Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) after Rear Admiral Faidoo as originally planned by the Adokpas had the NDC won the 2016 elections.

With the pieces of information on Commodore Beick-Baffuor, may I proceed to analyze some of the arguments used by the General Okyeres and their likes to justify their shameless betrayal of the cause of the helpless, already victimized and uncared for teeming supporters and sympathizers of the NPP in the barracks.

Firstly, is it not nonsense for the likes of General Okyere to think that two Akans should not occupy the seats of Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff, where were they when Air Marshal Dumashie was the Chief of Defence Staff and General BK Akafia was the Army Commander?

These two Generals were not Ewes but were all from the Anlo area of the Volta Region too. 

Again where were they when General Arnold Quainoo was the Force Commander (combining the functions of Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander) after the resignation of Brigadier General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah as the Chief of Defence Staff and Brigadier General Klutse was the Brigade Commander of 1 Infantry Bde Gp and effectively the No 2 to Quainoo in spite of the fact that we had lame duck Navy and Airforce Commanders. 

Where were the General Okyeres when the Bosrotsis, Ntumys, Toppors, Kpetos, Weirs, Agumes, Agbemasus, Attopoes and Lord Attivors were in charge of all the key positions in the Ghana Armed Forces between 1982 and 1993?

The argument that if the NDC made errors, the NPP should not follow suit does not wash. They used the executive power to the advantage of their supporters and sympathizers to the detriment of the Akans and non-Akans suspected to be NPP sympathizers

.

Because of the Ewe hegemony, first class officers such as the Twumasis Oti-Prempehs, Ohene Asantes, Ohene Asares, Lemteys, Ayiteys and Addas were thrown out of the main stream to pave way for Quainoos, Dumashies, and Akafias.

Surely, the General Okyeres did not see those ones and are prepared to hurt and humiliate sympathizers of the NPP in the barracks.

Today, the rank and file of the elephant fraternity have become the laughing stock. 

Ardent, vociferous and non- compromising “NDC soldiers” and supporters in the barracks are the ones who have been selected for duties at Castle and Jubilee House while the real combatants, warriors who sacrificed and fought for the elephant to leave the jungle and return to the corridors of power are still walking and roaming about in the barracks disappointed, dejected and uncertain about their future.

The soldiers who behaved professionally and protected the Constitution of Ghana cannot find favour with the Captain Kodas, Lieutenant Colonel Owusu Ansahs and Colonel Onwonas.

Instead, the drivers, bodyguards and clerks of the Chief of Staff, Commandants, Director Generals, Directors and Principal Staff Officers at General Headquarters, Service Headquarters, Command Headquarters, Bases and Units are the ones now enjoying thanks to the nonsense of a certain Brigadier General Emmanuel Okyere. 

These “parasites” are the ones riding in the Toyota Landcruiser V8s, V6s, Prados and other enviable vehicles.

Some loyal soldiers of the elephant fraternity are being victimized. Some of them have been deliberately posted to Bawku, Yendi and Bimbilla while the “parasites” are now calling the shots.

The distressed faithfuls are crying inside themselves. Their spouses are worried. Their children are being mocked at.

This can only happen because of the nonsense of a certain Brigadier General Emmanuel Okyere who as GOC Southern Command made sure NPP lost to his mother party. 

There is anger in the barracks today due to the nonsense of Brigadier General Emmanuel Okyere.

My sources have indicated that the Armed Forces Council has met for the first time under the auspices of Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia with the following as other members:

MINISTER OF DEFENCE- DOMINIC NITIWUL

MINISTER OF INTERIOR-AMBROSE DERY

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS- MRS. SHIRLEY AYORKOR BOTCHWEY

MAJOR GENERAL OB AKWA –CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF

MAJOR GENERAL WA AYAMDO-CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF

REAR ADMIRAL PK FAIDOO- CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF

AIR VICE MARSHAL M NAGAI-CHIEF OF AIR STAFF

BRIGADIER GENERAL RO SACKEY-MEMBER

COLONEL C ANKOMAH DANSO-MEMBER

FSM-MEMBER

THE CHIEF DIRECTOR AT THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE.

The main agenda for the first NPP Armed Forces Council Meeting were promotion and appointments of officers in the wake of the elevation of Major Generals OB Akwa and WA WA Ayamdo to the status of Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff respectively.

The following officers have been given appointments and promotions as follows:


1.      Brigadier General WO Agyekum – Commandant MATS.

2.      Brigadier General CKAA Awity – DG PA

3.      Brigadier General F Vib Sanziri – DG IPSO

4.      Brigadier General  M Whajah -  MOD (CD) PGSO

5.      Brigadier General T Oppong-Peprah- GOC South Comd

6.      Brigadier General  PN Andoh  - DG DI

7.      Brigadier General  AK Adu- DG IGD

8.      Brigadier General  INA Aryeetey – R List (Att to GHQ(Camp) for duties with MONUSCO as Western Bde Comd

9.      Brigadier General  ST Osabutey – R List (Att to GHQ(Camp) for duties with UNMISS as Sector Commander

10.  Colonel JP Osei Owusu- A/DG DID

11.  Colonel AY Nsiah – A/CSO Army HQ

12.  Colonel EA Baidoo- DMP

13.  Colonel S Adorkor – LO Army MOD

14.  Commodore SW Anim – Naval HQ

15.  Commodore M Beick-Baffour – A/COS GHQ COS

Time For Real Changes In Our Communities

The euphoria that welcomed and surrounded Nana Addo’s victory at the December 2016 elections and his subsequent investiture as the Fifth President of the Fourth Republic may evaporate into thin air if deliberate conscious and well planned efforts and strategies are not put in place for real changes in our communities.

There is no doubt that all our communities are infested with mines and minefields. The NDC government of former President John Mahama set up a consortium of strategists to put mechanisms in place in all the security and non-security communities to ensure that the “scent” of the NDC would be felt everywhere.

The exit of the NDC from the political citadel has not in any way affected its influence and grip over state institutions and their personnel. 

Thus, all the security services, MDAs and financial institutions still owe allegiance to the NDC owing to the fact that most senior management officials are still at post.

The President’s desire to respect the constitution, statutes and rule of law has put constraints on his executive power “to hire and fire”. The process of hiring and firing is being followed in a piecemeal and painstakingly cautious manner.

So far, a few very notorious public officials including one from our main sister community, the Police, have been relieved of their appointments.

On Wednesday 25^th January, 2017, Mr. John Kudalor, the outgoing/outgone Inspector General Police (IGP)  called on His Excellency, our Commander-In-Chief and President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to bid him farewell for completion of his meritorious service with the “Noble Profession of Service with Integrity”.

It is true that the Opunis, Anamoos, Thompsons and Moulds have been relieved of their appointments but members of our security communities are more anxious about the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Prisons Service, Fire Service and the Ghana Revenue Authority.

I wish to deal with these Security Services one after the other. Now that the Ghana Police Service has been given one of its best officers - in terms of stature (physical, academic and professional qualifications and development), experience, maturity and wisdom - in several years. The expectation of members of our community is that same or similar actions would be taken in the remaining Security Services. 

It is good for the NDC to compare its IGPs between 2009 to 2017 (namely Mrs. Mills Robertson, Paul Tawiah Quaye, Mohammed Alhassan And John Kudalor ) with the “caretaker” IGP who is likely to be confirmed by the end of March 2017 when the full Council of State shall have been put in place. 

There is no doubt that Mr. David Asante-Apeatu is an all round “Police officer Extraordinaire, Exceptionel, Numero Un”. 

I wish to congratulate him on his well deserved appointment and promotion. I need to thank our “Commander-In-Chief” for that bold decision!! 

Congrats Commander-In-Chief, Sir (with salute)!

I wish to invite the Commander-In-Chief to extend the same fairness, courage, sense of urgency and alacrity to the Ghana Armed Forces. 

It is trite knowledge that Mr. John Kudalor’s main “partner in crime” in relation to the 2016 elections was in our community.

Our leader in particular took Ghanaians for a ride with the certified and known thief ably supporting him in all the clandestine and nocturnal activities and operations.

Our leader it is said to have issued unwanted threats to Ghanaians before and during the elections.

In order to be able to control the resources of the Ghana Armed Forces and the nation State Ghana, our leader kept on and is still doing unimaginable damages to the Armed Forces and the state. 

Making himself indispensable as the driver of the Presidential Car, our leader has misrepresented the policies of Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Internally Generated Funds (IGF) and has amassed wealth more than any of our leaders in the times past.

It is said that our leader had the ear of “One Dollar” thus he ignored and sidelined the Doctor representative at the Ministry who is alleged to be in the camp of a former pilot who rose to become a Commander-In-Chief of this community.

It is said that our leader had no respect nor regard for the Doctor but rather chose to deal directly with “One Dollar” either in their homes at East Cantonments or on the Presidential Car travels around the country or at the Presidency. 

As a result, our lands, assets and facilities have been misapplied, wrongly alienated and forcibly given to cronies, family members, business partners and persons with doubtful character traits. 

Monies derived from such “deals” have been used to acquire all sorts of assets (vehicles, houses, businesses and women) to the detriment of the Ghana Armed Forces and the State.

In all these schemes, our leader was supported and encouraged by the known thief who is also linked directly or indirectly with most of these “activities and operations”. 

In some cases, unauthorized operations were conducted in and outside their Areas of operation or jurisdiction. Very unfortunate fatalities occurred in some of these one-man unlawful operations.

Members of our communities are therefore very much surprised about the intense lobbying that is being prosecuted at the instance or on behalf of some military officers. Can you believe that Brigadier General Alloh is also lobbying and begging behind the scenes for some things he did?  

For instance, is it not shameful somebody camouflaged himself and attended the thanksgiving service of Nana Akufo-Addo at Kyebi on Sunday 8^th January 2017?

Again, is it not shameful that the same person is parading the corridors of Jubilee House with some “Ashanti In-laws” for him to be retained or appointed? Do these military officers have scruples at all? No, I doubt!!

If the actions of this person were shameful and unprofessional as some community members are saying, then I guess our leader’s is worrying as well.

Our leader is now using the gym as the conduit for his lobbying. It is said that our leader is using the Finance Minister and Attorney General and Minister of Justice for that purpose. 

Because these government officials are very close to President Nana Addo, our leader is using them to prevail on the President to maintain him till his time is due.

Some of the arguments being sponsored by our leader are the facts that he is the only trained driver of the nation’s car; that he was a trainer of trainees and there is no immediate replacement for him. The argument continues that he has driven more hours than any other driver ever in the history of the vehicle section of our community today. That he is the most experienced driver in that section. 

The very arguments that our leader has advanced to support his cause should be used against him. How come that at age 63 years he is the only driver for the Presidential Car? Does it mean that he does not have any succession plan? 

Is it not against driving safety for a 63 year old to be driving several hours while younger drivers are available? What is so unique about the Presidential Car that the lawfully licensed and qualified drivers of our community cannot be converted unto it? 

Is it or was it not a deliberate ploy to enable our leader have perpetual access to the Presidency and Presidents?

Anyway, does he drive the car alone? Certainly No. So the co-drivers are not or cannot be made available to drive the car alone? 

Where are the Group Captains Bekoes, Nkansahs and the others who have all been trained on and have been driving alongside our leader? 

Is it fair for our leader to always drive as the Captain of the car while the more energetic, with smart and sharp reflexes, younger Captains and Squadron leaders are Co-drivers?

How and when will these younger drivers acquire experience and maturity on those particular and other cars if they are not allowed to drive? 

Why will our leader not allow these younger drivers to build their confidence to deal with all kinds of situations as they drive all the cars available in our vehicle section (the Fokkers: Casas, Mi-35 Helicopters, Embraer; Mi-17 V5 Helicopters etc)? 

But on a more serious note, how come our leader has become the only most experienced and matured driver in our vehicle section today? 

Is it not his making and that of former President John Mahama? 

When he was the leader of our vehicle section then, our leader prevailed upon former President Mahama to retain him as the Service Commander when his other colleagues were retired thus enabling him to stay in office from 31^st March 2009 to 12^th January 2016, what was he expecting to happen to his own mates and immediate subordinates? 

What happened to Air Commodores Abbas, Ayisa, Krakue and late Obeng Onwona?

Was it not the greed and callousness of our leader as head of our vehicle section that led to the compulsory retirement of all those fine car drivers?

What about the case of the late Air Commodore Obeng Onwona? This driver could easily have succeeded our leader as the Chief Driver before Tei-Nagai. But what happened? 

Because Obeng Onwonna was younger in age and had become a threat to our leader, the latter withdrew all courtesies and assistance to the former at a time that our leader knew that the fine religious gentleman had some medical challenges. 

Attempts to fly the officer abroad for further medical treatment were thwarted by our aberrant leader.

Without any scruples and compunction, our leader put unbearable pressure on the poor officer in his ill health thereby compounding his problems. 

For instance, our leader posted this fine gentleman from where he was to take up the job of a guy who was nearly shot overseas in a form of humiliation. 

As if that was not enough he gave a short notice ultimatum to him to leave the “tight quarter” at Juba Ridge.

As if that was also not enough, our leader kept issuing queries to this fine gentleman to answer indicating in all those letters that the poor officer should explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.

For instance, during the fateful 6^th March 2013 Independence Parade when rain suddenly fell and disrupted the beauty of it,  our leader put the blame on this gentleman and demanded why disciplinary action should not to be taken against him for not having a plan B for wet weather parade. 

When all these avoidable pressures were put on this gentleman, and his medical condition started worsening, our leader would not be bothered.

Internally Generated Funds (in dollars) were available but this officer was denied access to medical care and treatment and eventually died to the relief of our leader. Why did our leader refuse to attend the burial and the funeral of late Air Commoodre Obeng Onwonna when he had been instrumental in the selection of the date?

Again, how come up to date, our leader has failed to visit the wife and family of the late Air Commodore Obeng Onwona? Nobody who knew the Narteys, Nakobus, Brachies, Kekrebesis, Krakues, Ayisas and the Ojes in the mid eighties, nineties and 2000s would believe what happened. Yet it has happened.

There five officers were contemporaries of our leader. They belonged to the same squadrons at Tamale, Takoradi and in Accra. They flew the Fokkers 27 and 28 and the Skyvans together in warm amity. But times have changed. 

Today, Air Commodore Obeng Onwona is no more. Monies that could have been used to save his life have been used to reward Colonel JFNK Freeman as Deputy Milad in New York. 

Colonel Freeman “managed” the funds (IGF) and others for our leader. Oh yes, power sweet. Sweet power in absolute terms corrupts absolutely!! That is the current situation with our leader.

All those pieces of information coupled with the unprofessional conduct exhibited by our leader and the known thief require that both men leave the Ghana Armed Forces immediately.

Mr. President, most of the members of our community are becoming impatient with the continuous stay of these two officers and a few others in their appointments. There is no doubt that these two officers, in particular, and a few others were deliberately put in their positions by John Mahama and the NDC for specific purposes. 

Thankfully, the Good Lord has seen us through their evil deeds (all the plans B, C, and D for the elections) including weapons and ammunitions that were taken from the armories and Base Ammunitions Depot at Military Academy and Training Schools, 64 Infantry Regiment, Recce Regiment, 48 Engineer Regiment and Michel Camp could not change the results.

Where are the RPGs that the thief? Has he returned them with the ammunition? I am told he is still keeping them!! What about those either taken by our leader or on his instruction? 

All these are pertinent issues that must be resolved quickly to allay the fears of innocent members of our community. So Mr. President the earlier, the better. I trust you, Sir.

I acknowledge that because the Council of State is yet to be fully constituted, the President may be unwilling to effect the changes especially when Ministers of State, traditional rulers and powerful opinion leaders are being used to plead on their behalf. They may be tolerated but their presence is creating inertia. They are lame ducks wanting to fly. They are still influencing situations such as in the selection of officers and men for essential duties, operations, courses and training. 

Could we not have a similar situation as has happened in the Police Service? Can we not have a repetition of January 2009 when General JB Danquah and the IGP were made to vacate their posts on the same date (28 January 2009 having attended Professor Mills interview) on 26 January 2009 at the Osu Castle? 

In that case, the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral AS Nuno was made to act as the Chief of Defence Staff until Major General PA Blay was appointed on 31^st March 2009 as the substantive Chief of Defence Staff, with Major General R Adinkrah, Rear Admirral M Quashie and Air Vice Marshal M Samson-Oje as Chiefs of Army Staff, Naval Staff and Air Staff respectively. 

Similarly, Brigadier General R Winful was made to pave way for then Commodore GM Biekro as the Chief of Staff. 

Members of our community are anxiously waiting for that day. There would be celebrations by the majority while a few members of the cabal would be sad because the reality of a new order would become evident. Until then, it will be business as usual for these vampires.

Your Excellency, we know that when our leader is leaving, you would apply the principle of seniority in service and rank as you did for the Police Service. In that case, we have no doubt that Major General Obed Boamah Akwa would be the heir apparent. What is however not clear is the replacement for the Chief of Army Staff. What about the Chief of Staff?

We trust your judgment, Sir! But please for Heaven’s sake; do not be concerned about seniority alone. Please give more weight to loyalty, commitment and sacrifice for Ama Ghana and the elephant fraternity. 

Professionalism without loyalty and sacrifice may be suicidal for your effective command and control of the Ghana Armed Forces. 

Beware of hypocrites, bootlickers, pretenders and opportunists, Sir.