The officers and men from the Volta Region especially the “Dzelukope Mafia” were and are vehemently against the policy of regional balance in the GAF because their strategy and tactical plans are geared towards dominating all the Security Services and more importantly the GAF.
Hiding under the guise of being a minority group in the country, the officers and men from the Volta Region especially the “Dzelukupe Mafia” has strategized since the days of General Kotoka to control and dominate the GAF to protect and defend their interests, politically economically, and socially.
This has permeated all regimes since independence particularly immediately after Kotoka’s coup d’état and Rawlings’ regimes stretching from 1979 through to 2001, until the democratic forces of the good people of Ghana freely and fairly elected President JA Kufour to the throne. Even during the first term of President Kufour, when General SK Obeng was the CDS, the Volta Region had an undue advantage in the recruitment and enlistment of personnel into the GAF as the military hierarchy which had been dominated by the Volta Region during Rawlings too – long stay in power continued and persisted in their strategic march. For instance, between 2001 and 2005, Volta Region enjoyed 33.38% of officers commissioned into GAF. In the case of the other Ranks in 2003 the Volta Region had 210 out of 772 recruited into the Army (representing 27.21%), 61 out of 250 recruited into the Navy (representing 24.40%), 42 out of 176 recruited into the Airforce (representing 23.20%) for the same 2003 the Ashanti Region also had 93 for Army (12.05%), 19 for the Navy (7.60%) and 22 for the Airforce (12.50%).
The situation for the other Ranks recruitment in 2004 followed the same pattern. The Volta Region had 137 out of 618 recruited into the Army (22.17%); 97 out of 350 for the Navy (27.71%) and 51 out of 350 for the Navy (27.71%) and 51 out of 204 for the Airforce (25%). For the same 2004, Ashanti Region had 51 for the Army (8.25%); 24 for the Navy (6.85%) and 20 for the Airforce (9.80%). Between July 2002 and December 2004 Colonel MK Amuzu was the Director General (Personnel Administrator), having taken over from Brigadier General Wallace Gbedemah.
Incidentally, instructions issued by Colonel MK Amuzu clearly allocated vacancies on regional basis using figures from the then last known population census of Ghana but the orders were circumvented. The Volta Region with more representation on the regional teams entrusted with the recruitment exercise managed to have its way and dominated absolutely and functionally in all the three services (Army Navy and Airforce) in the recruitment of 2003, 2004 and 2005.
It was the attempt by General JB Danquah and the entire Military High Command to enforce the policy on regional and gender balances as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution under Article 35 (6) (b) that saw all the Ewe officers and men in the GAF protesting thereby inviting unfortunate comments on it from FLt Lt JJ Rawlings in October 2008 at Peki in the Volta Region during a political rally of the NDC. For the avoidance of doubt, the Constitutional provision states that “Towards the achievement of the objectives stated in clause (5) of this Article, the state SHALL take appropriate measures to achieve reasonable regional and gender balance in recruitment and appointment to public offices.”
There is no doubt that the GAF are part of the public offices as the officers and men are paid from the Consolidated Fund and all their requirements are provided by the state (public funds).
Even during the period 2006 to 2008 when the attempt was made to achieve reasonable regional and gender balance, the Volta Region still topped if figures from all the three services were put together for the officers and men. That explains why to the date the Volta Region commands between 24 and 28% of the Ghana Armed forces.
The situation is being worsened under President Mills. Under the current NDC regime, there has been a systematic deliberate conscious and well planned effort to augment the proportion of personnel from the Volta Region in the GAF while at the same time denying persons from the Akan dominated regions especially Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern Entry into the GAF.
As if that was not enough, several Akan officers have been targeted for release from the GAF whereas their counterparts from the Volta Region are not being released even where there are several years above their compulsory retiring ages. This strategy is ensuring attrition for the Akans particularly Ashantis, Brongs, Akyems, Akwapims, and Kwahus while ensuring an accelerated admission of more persons from the Volta Region, especially Southern Volta Region (Anlos) into the GAF.
It may interest well meaning Ghanaian to note that when a massive release of Other Ranks recruited between 1979 and 1983 was effected between May 2009 and June 2010 under President Mills, the Ex – Soldiers from the Volta Region and those from other regions perceived to be NDC sympathizers have been employed by the National Security Secretariat and the Ministry of Defence in aid of capacities while the rest have been left to their fate to ensure NDC and Volta Region domination in the GAF.
These are acts of unfair treatment, victimization of Akans, from Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern Regions and ill-treatment against perceived NPP sympathizers in the military are breeding tension in the military and threaten our peaceful democratic march.
It is better for these facts to brought out for discussion and solution than to sweep them under the carpet using uncalled for accusation of whipping tribal sentiments when in fact the NDC and its Agents are the causes of the tribal and ethnic politicization of the GAF.
The fraudulent recruitment exercise of 2009/2010 showed clearly that the NDC has a serious agenda to recruit more persons from the Volta Region than the others in order to achieve political gains during the 2012 elections.
Several persons from the Volta Region and a few other regions belonging to the NDC were fraudulently recruited into the Army, Navy and Airforce and are currently undergoing training at the various Military recruit training schools at Shai Hills, Tema and Takoradi. The list of persons selected shows the dominance by the Volta Region and foot soldiers of the NDC from other part of the country.
For instance, out of the 453 sent to Army Recruit Training School at Shai Hills, 122 hail from the Volta Region even though only 38 were recruited from Ho. Another figure of 57 persons hailing from the Volta Region was recruited from the Greater Accra Region. Several of these persons did not go through the recruitment process. Some of them were made to replace others from the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern Regions who had genuinely been processed for various stages of the recruitment exercise. Particular mention has to be made of persons who were brought to Burma Hall on 16th April, 2010 on the authority of Brigadier General EC Quist (the Director General Personnel Administration at the time).
These persons numbering over 300 were illegally inserted into the selection process. Some of them were made to join the Army first Batch on 1st July 2010 while some joined the Navy and the Airforce who are all currently undergoing training. This illegal insertion brought some misunderstandings between Brig Gen Quist and Colonel T Ba-Taa-Banah, the Director Manpower Planning: Colonel T Ba-Taa-Banah’s insistence on the right thing being done resulted in his removal and his “good riddance” to Sabbatical Leave in China under the guise of a Course.
As for the rumors being peddled by some Ewe officers and men that the victimized Colonel was the course of the Brigadier General’s death, the least said about it the better. The only possibility of a justification for the unfair allegation and accusation is the Back –To- Sender Argument”. If indeed it is true that juju was found in Colonel T Ba-Taa-Banah’s office and the juju was alleged to ‘eliminate him’ then the only reasonable inference is that because God loves him and comes from the Upper West where the “trees” are very powerful , he managed to survive the juju and naturally the “poison” went back to the sender.
Furthermore, the strategy of the current NDC and Volta Region controlled Ghana Armed Forces is to systematically reduce the representation of Akans from the NPP strongholds while increasing the representation of the Volta Region and the NDC strongholds Regions. For instance, since January 2009 over thirty military officers of various ranks between Colonel, Major and Lieutenant Generals have been released compulsorily mainly under the pretext of age and lack of vacancy while officers from the Volta Region who are several years and months overaged have been given juicy and motivating appointment and promotions.
Efforts are still under way to release Colonels Agyekum Yamoah, EA Mensah, MD Boampong and Ankomah Danso and Brigadier General George Adjei and at the same time, the Military High Command is preparing to submit the names of Colonel DJ Sakyi, Group Captain EK Boateng, Colonel RPKZ Hatse, Colonel EWK Nibo, Colonel Senchim and Colonel FK Kwashie for promotion to Brigadier General and equivalent.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Disclaimer: Akufo-Addo’s strategy backfires
The attention of the publishers and management of DAYBREAK newspaper has been drawn to a story posted on www.ghanaweb.com under the headline 'Akufo-Addo's strategy Backfires' and wrongly attributed to DAYBREAK newspaper.
We wish to put on record that DAYBREAK has not put out any story with the said headline. We also distance ourselves from the entire contents of the story and state categorically that our paper knows nothing of it.
We are at a loss as to where www.ghanaweb.com had the story from and we are tempted to suspect that it was for mischievous reasons that the story was attributed to us.
We call on the operators of www.ghanaweb.com to as a matter of urgency; retract the attribution they have made to our paper as far as that story is concerned.
We want to assure our esteemed readers once again that the story did not come from DAYBREAK.
We can only hope that www.ghanaweb.com would be cautious in crediting the right sources for the stories they put out.
Signed
PRINCE PRAH
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
We wish to put on record that DAYBREAK has not put out any story with the said headline. We also distance ourselves from the entire contents of the story and state categorically that our paper knows nothing of it.
We are at a loss as to where www.ghanaweb.com had the story from and we are tempted to suspect that it was for mischievous reasons that the story was attributed to us.
We call on the operators of www.ghanaweb.com to as a matter of urgency; retract the attribution they have made to our paper as far as that story is concerned.
We want to assure our esteemed readers once again that the story did not come from DAYBREAK.
We can only hope that www.ghanaweb.com would be cautious in crediting the right sources for the stories they put out.
Signed
PRINCE PRAH
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
Friday, November 5, 2010
James Agyenim - Boateng's Secret Text Message Exposed!!!
I published an unedited text message that I intercepted last Sunday!
Private and confidential
Yesterday’s meeting did not go the way prof wanted us to conduct these meetings. If der is a new face around, we must be notified. Konadu has jerry's network dat gathers gud intelligence. I don't trust some of these hungry cpp guys we r using to form this AFRO pressure group! i am tracing one of dem to someone around Konadu en dis is dangerous. if de priamary goal of dis group is to scatter Konadu's ambition as uncle ato wants indicated, we can't afford any scandalous leaks. de bempah en dela boys hv de media en jerry's commandos sniffing around for dem. we must double check none of de cpp guys we programmed has links with nduom coz npp will know. see yu at castle meeting morrow. watch yur back esp these stupid foot soldiers. james Agyenim - Boateng
+233277319053
Received: 17:19:27
31 - 10 - 2010
Source:Dela Coffie
Private and confidential
Yesterday’s meeting did not go the way prof wanted us to conduct these meetings. If der is a new face around, we must be notified. Konadu has jerry's network dat gathers gud intelligence. I don't trust some of these hungry cpp guys we r using to form this AFRO pressure group! i am tracing one of dem to someone around Konadu en dis is dangerous. if de priamary goal of dis group is to scatter Konadu's ambition as uncle ato wants indicated, we can't afford any scandalous leaks. de bempah en dela boys hv de media en jerry's commandos sniffing around for dem. we must double check none of de cpp guys we programmed has links with nduom coz npp will know. see yu at castle meeting morrow. watch yur back esp these stupid foot soldiers. james Agyenim - Boateng
+233277319053
Received: 17:19:27
31 - 10 - 2010
Source:Dela Coffie
Friday, September 24, 2010
Armed Forces’ Pack Of Lies Exposed!
The adages that no matter how long a piece of wood stays in a river it will never become a crocodile and the converse that a pig will always be dirty no matter how well it is bathed because its preference is the dirt and not the river are so true, real authentic, verifiable, justifiable and appropriate in the Ghana Armed Forces of today that only a miracle can save mother Ghana.
To show their loyalty and commitment to the P/NDC and especially the NDC II that came to power through lies, deceit, violence, intimidation and fraudulent practices, the Directorate of Public Relations, cannot divorce themselves from palpable and pathological lies at all.
Those who thought that the departure of Colonel EWK Nibo (Did I hear that he is still lurking around MOD?) and the usurpation of Colonel M Atintande to the throne as the Director Public Relations of the GAF (to the detriment of Lt Col Comfort Ankoma-Danso) was going to give the GAF a new image and credibility would have to revise their notes and adapt to the new realities. It is as certain as day and night that the GAF are going to continue their new role of brutalities, intimidation and use of force to assist their revolutionary allies in the NDC to win elections by fair or foul means.
The military brutalities in Bawku, Northern Region (the rape cases, and Chereponi bye election barbarism), Akwatia JIHAD and the Atiwa mayhem forebode events, activities and misuse of state institutions for parochial purposes. In all the afore-mentioned instances, the Military have been misused to satisfy the sectional interest of the NDC to the detriment of the relative peace and tranquillity that were handed over to the “Asomdweehene” on 7th January 2009.
Any peace loving member of the Ghanaian society who doubts the menace of violence in our otherwise peaceful march in our democratic journey with the inception of NDC II under Uncle Atta should look at what the military did to the Police in Kumasi. If the military were able to use so much violence on the Police with ferocity and impunity then how much more on the poor defenceless Ghanaian voters especially those perceived to be Pro-NPP?
What was the outcome of the “Investigations into the Military Brutalities on the Police in Kumasi”? So far nothing has come out of it. It will be just one of the usual businesses of sweeping it under the carpet. It happened in Akim Oda, in early 2009 where and when soldiers from the Jungle Warfare School in Achiase descended on the poor Akims (die-hard NPP sympathisers in the majority) and all that the Military High Command did was to let the then Commandant of the Military Academy and Training Schools (MATS) apologise in am unremorseful manner. In the case of the Bawku incident, Ministers of State went to the defence of the soldiers when serious abuses of human rights had occurred and innocent civilians had been tortured, humiliated and dehumanised. There were no sanctions for the soldiers responsible for those brutalities. Not even video footages and coverages and newspaper publications could touch the obstinate hearts of cruelty to get the offenders punished.
Again, rather callously the military authorities (with Colonel Nibo in full gear) went to the defence of the soldiers who allegedly raped girls in the Northern Region and that ended the matter.
The election violence in Akwatia and Chereponi in 2009 and Atiwa in 2010 need to be revisited as they have been rehearsals for the NDC 2012 Agenda of using foul means to retain power. In all the three Parliamentary elections, the military have been misused and this calls for serious concern.
Credible sources have it that just as happened in the 2008 general elections certain unauthorised persons were allegedly dressed in military and police uniforms to intimidate, harm and brutalise the poor voters to facilitate rigging by the NDC. The strategies worked to some extent with success in all the three constituencies. In the case of Akwatia had it not been for the fact that the NPP Candidate had already taken an unasailable lead the story would have been different as the NDC managed to have overall majority in the remaining 6 polling stations but not enough to change the fortunes of the NDC candidate. In Chereponi, the strategy secured an undeserved victory for the NDC as the Party won in the very rural and remote areas but lost in the big towns where the intimidation was challenged to some extent.
The story of Atiwa is not very different. Even though the NPP won, the NDC by using military resources managed to reduce the margin of defeat and subsequently boasted with it.
What is of significance in this article is the denial of the role played by Major Ignatius Awuni in the Atiwa episode by no less a person than Colonel M Atintande, the new Director of Public Relations of the GAF. A report by AR Gomda in the Daily Guide issue of Friday 3rd September 2010 at page 14 captioned “Military Deny Awuni in Atiwa story reads “The Director of the Ghana Armed Forces’ Public Relations Directorate, Colonel M’Bawine Atintande, has expressed surprise at reports that claimed that Major Ignatius Awuni, an officer in his outfit regularly visited the Atiwa constituency prior to the polls. Major Awuni is an officer in the PR Directorate and was no where near Atiwa before and after the polls there. He assured political parties and Ghanaians in general that military personnel are highly professional and should be trusted to discharge their duties accordingly. He called on the media to support his outfit by cross-checking facts before publishing same so that together we can build a strong country to which we all belong”.
The denial by the Director of Public Relations of the GAF is not only shameful by all standards but also a real evidence of dishonesty, lack of intergrity and sincerity and above all sycophancy to the highest apogee.
How can Colonel M’Bawine Atintande say boldly that Major Awuni is an officer in the Public Relations Directorate and was no where near Atiwa before and after the polls?
Firstly, Major Ignatius Awuni even though commissioned into the Public Relations Directorate, does not currently work in or as an officer in the Public Relations Directorate. Major Ignatius Awuni has been working at the National Security Council Secretariat since 15th June 2009. He ceased to be working at the Public Relations Directorate effective 15th June 2009. If Colonel Atintande has refused to recognise that fact and is throwing dust into the eyes of the Ghanaian public then he needs to refer to the Military Secretary Publication of 19th June 2009.
Major Awuni (GH/3020) who was a captain until he was promoted Major on 18th August 2009 had travelled to Lebanon during the 2008 general elections to serve with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL Ghanbatt 69). He returned to Ghana on 4th May 2009 and was posted to the Public Relations Directorate as an Assistant Director. He was subsequently posted to the National Security Secretariat on 15th May 2009 by the Military Secretary Publication of 19th June 2009 (serials 72 and 73 of MS Publication of 19 June 2009 refer to him).
In fact, then Captain I Awuni did not work at the Public Relations Directorate for even a single day on his return from Lebanon and started working at the Castle and the Blue gate before his formal posting was published.
Secondly, every concerned Ghanaian knows now that those personnel, military and civilians, who work at the National Security Council Secretariat are tasked to do all sorts of operations and activities related to security and intelligence. It is therefore very usual for Major I Awuni to be sent to Atiwa before and after the polls in the name of security and intelligence.
Major I Awuni had allegedly been involved and is allegedly still involved in several activities and operations including the training of “Intimidation Squads” in various parts of the country. A separate article would be written on those activities in subsequent publications and all his collaborators would also be exposed at the right time.
Another credible source of information is that on Monday 30th August 2010 at the Chief of Staff’s (General Headquarters) meeting with the Director Generals, Directors and Representatives of Formations, Departments, Directorates and Units, the issue of Major I Awuni came up for discussion because of the Newspaper and Radio reports on Major Awuni’s activities in Atiwa. At the said meeting, it was conceded that Major Awuni went to Atiwa constituency where he was to arrange for hotels and see to security arrangements for some VIPs but “he overstepped his limits” and therefore the negative repercussions. These disclosures were made to the hearing of several officers on that fateful Monday 30th August 2010, a day before the Atiwa Parliamentary bye-elections took place.
Indeed, there are living witnesses to those assertions and more importantly, there are people who saw Major Awuni in Atiwa especially at Anyinam where all hotels were booked for the NDC a week before the election. So why should Colonel M’Bawine Atintande try to defend a very bad case of misuse of military resources and misjudgement on the part of the NDC and the National Security Council Secretariat?
Colonel M Atintande has indeed succeeded Colonel EWK Nibo as the lying mouth piece of the Ghana Armed Forces. Since 2nd February 2009, the GAF Public Relations have been caught in deceit, lies, propaganda and partisan politics. In one breath the Public Relations Directorate of the GAF would be preaching professionalism and non-partisanship of the GAF and yet in another breath will be going to all lengths to justify and defend military brutalities, lies, nepotism, partisanship, ethnicity and victimisation.
Perhaps the controversies surrounding Colonel Atintande’s appointment and promotion would haunt him for several months and even years and would compel him to be at his sympathetic and deceitful best.
Another evidence of Colonel Atintande’s willingness, ability and eagerness to sing the chorus of the NDC and his benefactors to the hilt is the “group photograph” of him and the President, HE JEA Mills on the front page of the Ghanaian Times on Saturday 4th September 2010. Colonel Atintande was proudly holding a microphone for thePresident, so that he would be seen, recognised and appreciated as an extremely loyal disciple of the “Umbrella”. Certainly, Colonel Atintande is not the type who would delegate such an “important event” for the likes of his soldiers and staff officers to compete with the reporters from the TV and Radio stations especially those that assisted the NDC by diverse means to deny the real democratic wheels of Ghana from advancing.
Colonel Atintande is going to use the information captured on 3rd September 2010 for his next issue of the Armed Forces News. The theme of that occasion sits with the NDC propaganda which says that ask the people to turn left when in fact you mean right. The NDC would preach virtue and practise vice. So has Colonel Atintande started his job. He knew very well that Major Awuni is not at the Public Relations Directorate but rather at the National Security Council Secretariat and yet lied. He knew that Major Awuni was indeed at Atiwa and yet he denied it. Oh Ghana’s Armed Forces! Where and what next, Colonel Atintande?
To show their loyalty and commitment to the P/NDC and especially the NDC II that came to power through lies, deceit, violence, intimidation and fraudulent practices, the Directorate of Public Relations, cannot divorce themselves from palpable and pathological lies at all.
Those who thought that the departure of Colonel EWK Nibo (Did I hear that he is still lurking around MOD?) and the usurpation of Colonel M Atintande to the throne as the Director Public Relations of the GAF (to the detriment of Lt Col Comfort Ankoma-Danso) was going to give the GAF a new image and credibility would have to revise their notes and adapt to the new realities. It is as certain as day and night that the GAF are going to continue their new role of brutalities, intimidation and use of force to assist their revolutionary allies in the NDC to win elections by fair or foul means.
The military brutalities in Bawku, Northern Region (the rape cases, and Chereponi bye election barbarism), Akwatia JIHAD and the Atiwa mayhem forebode events, activities and misuse of state institutions for parochial purposes. In all the afore-mentioned instances, the Military have been misused to satisfy the sectional interest of the NDC to the detriment of the relative peace and tranquillity that were handed over to the “Asomdweehene” on 7th January 2009.
Any peace loving member of the Ghanaian society who doubts the menace of violence in our otherwise peaceful march in our democratic journey with the inception of NDC II under Uncle Atta should look at what the military did to the Police in Kumasi. If the military were able to use so much violence on the Police with ferocity and impunity then how much more on the poor defenceless Ghanaian voters especially those perceived to be Pro-NPP?
What was the outcome of the “Investigations into the Military Brutalities on the Police in Kumasi”? So far nothing has come out of it. It will be just one of the usual businesses of sweeping it under the carpet. It happened in Akim Oda, in early 2009 where and when soldiers from the Jungle Warfare School in Achiase descended on the poor Akims (die-hard NPP sympathisers in the majority) and all that the Military High Command did was to let the then Commandant of the Military Academy and Training Schools (MATS) apologise in am unremorseful manner. In the case of the Bawku incident, Ministers of State went to the defence of the soldiers when serious abuses of human rights had occurred and innocent civilians had been tortured, humiliated and dehumanised. There were no sanctions for the soldiers responsible for those brutalities. Not even video footages and coverages and newspaper publications could touch the obstinate hearts of cruelty to get the offenders punished.
Again, rather callously the military authorities (with Colonel Nibo in full gear) went to the defence of the soldiers who allegedly raped girls in the Northern Region and that ended the matter.
The election violence in Akwatia and Chereponi in 2009 and Atiwa in 2010 need to be revisited as they have been rehearsals for the NDC 2012 Agenda of using foul means to retain power. In all the three Parliamentary elections, the military have been misused and this calls for serious concern.
Credible sources have it that just as happened in the 2008 general elections certain unauthorised persons were allegedly dressed in military and police uniforms to intimidate, harm and brutalise the poor voters to facilitate rigging by the NDC. The strategies worked to some extent with success in all the three constituencies. In the case of Akwatia had it not been for the fact that the NPP Candidate had already taken an unasailable lead the story would have been different as the NDC managed to have overall majority in the remaining 6 polling stations but not enough to change the fortunes of the NDC candidate. In Chereponi, the strategy secured an undeserved victory for the NDC as the Party won in the very rural and remote areas but lost in the big towns where the intimidation was challenged to some extent.
The story of Atiwa is not very different. Even though the NPP won, the NDC by using military resources managed to reduce the margin of defeat and subsequently boasted with it.
What is of significance in this article is the denial of the role played by Major Ignatius Awuni in the Atiwa episode by no less a person than Colonel M Atintande, the new Director of Public Relations of the GAF. A report by AR Gomda in the Daily Guide issue of Friday 3rd September 2010 at page 14 captioned “Military Deny Awuni in Atiwa story reads “The Director of the Ghana Armed Forces’ Public Relations Directorate, Colonel M’Bawine Atintande, has expressed surprise at reports that claimed that Major Ignatius Awuni, an officer in his outfit regularly visited the Atiwa constituency prior to the polls. Major Awuni is an officer in the PR Directorate and was no where near Atiwa before and after the polls there. He assured political parties and Ghanaians in general that military personnel are highly professional and should be trusted to discharge their duties accordingly. He called on the media to support his outfit by cross-checking facts before publishing same so that together we can build a strong country to which we all belong”.
The denial by the Director of Public Relations of the GAF is not only shameful by all standards but also a real evidence of dishonesty, lack of intergrity and sincerity and above all sycophancy to the highest apogee.
How can Colonel M’Bawine Atintande say boldly that Major Awuni is an officer in the Public Relations Directorate and was no where near Atiwa before and after the polls?
Firstly, Major Ignatius Awuni even though commissioned into the Public Relations Directorate, does not currently work in or as an officer in the Public Relations Directorate. Major Ignatius Awuni has been working at the National Security Council Secretariat since 15th June 2009. He ceased to be working at the Public Relations Directorate effective 15th June 2009. If Colonel Atintande has refused to recognise that fact and is throwing dust into the eyes of the Ghanaian public then he needs to refer to the Military Secretary Publication of 19th June 2009.
Major Awuni (GH/3020) who was a captain until he was promoted Major on 18th August 2009 had travelled to Lebanon during the 2008 general elections to serve with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL Ghanbatt 69). He returned to Ghana on 4th May 2009 and was posted to the Public Relations Directorate as an Assistant Director. He was subsequently posted to the National Security Secretariat on 15th May 2009 by the Military Secretary Publication of 19th June 2009 (serials 72 and 73 of MS Publication of 19 June 2009 refer to him).
In fact, then Captain I Awuni did not work at the Public Relations Directorate for even a single day on his return from Lebanon and started working at the Castle and the Blue gate before his formal posting was published.
Secondly, every concerned Ghanaian knows now that those personnel, military and civilians, who work at the National Security Council Secretariat are tasked to do all sorts of operations and activities related to security and intelligence. It is therefore very usual for Major I Awuni to be sent to Atiwa before and after the polls in the name of security and intelligence.
Major I Awuni had allegedly been involved and is allegedly still involved in several activities and operations including the training of “Intimidation Squads” in various parts of the country. A separate article would be written on those activities in subsequent publications and all his collaborators would also be exposed at the right time.
Another credible source of information is that on Monday 30th August 2010 at the Chief of Staff’s (General Headquarters) meeting with the Director Generals, Directors and Representatives of Formations, Departments, Directorates and Units, the issue of Major I Awuni came up for discussion because of the Newspaper and Radio reports on Major Awuni’s activities in Atiwa. At the said meeting, it was conceded that Major Awuni went to Atiwa constituency where he was to arrange for hotels and see to security arrangements for some VIPs but “he overstepped his limits” and therefore the negative repercussions. These disclosures were made to the hearing of several officers on that fateful Monday 30th August 2010, a day before the Atiwa Parliamentary bye-elections took place.
Indeed, there are living witnesses to those assertions and more importantly, there are people who saw Major Awuni in Atiwa especially at Anyinam where all hotels were booked for the NDC a week before the election. So why should Colonel M’Bawine Atintande try to defend a very bad case of misuse of military resources and misjudgement on the part of the NDC and the National Security Council Secretariat?
Colonel M Atintande has indeed succeeded Colonel EWK Nibo as the lying mouth piece of the Ghana Armed Forces. Since 2nd February 2009, the GAF Public Relations have been caught in deceit, lies, propaganda and partisan politics. In one breath the Public Relations Directorate of the GAF would be preaching professionalism and non-partisanship of the GAF and yet in another breath will be going to all lengths to justify and defend military brutalities, lies, nepotism, partisanship, ethnicity and victimisation.
Perhaps the controversies surrounding Colonel Atintande’s appointment and promotion would haunt him for several months and even years and would compel him to be at his sympathetic and deceitful best.
Another evidence of Colonel Atintande’s willingness, ability and eagerness to sing the chorus of the NDC and his benefactors to the hilt is the “group photograph” of him and the President, HE JEA Mills on the front page of the Ghanaian Times on Saturday 4th September 2010. Colonel Atintande was proudly holding a microphone for thePresident, so that he would be seen, recognised and appreciated as an extremely loyal disciple of the “Umbrella”. Certainly, Colonel Atintande is not the type who would delegate such an “important event” for the likes of his soldiers and staff officers to compete with the reporters from the TV and Radio stations especially those that assisted the NDC by diverse means to deny the real democratic wheels of Ghana from advancing.
Colonel Atintande is going to use the information captured on 3rd September 2010 for his next issue of the Armed Forces News. The theme of that occasion sits with the NDC propaganda which says that ask the people to turn left when in fact you mean right. The NDC would preach virtue and practise vice. So has Colonel Atintande started his job. He knew very well that Major Awuni is not at the Public Relations Directorate but rather at the National Security Council Secretariat and yet lied. He knew that Major Awuni was indeed at Atiwa and yet he denied it. Oh Ghana’s Armed Forces! Where and what next, Colonel Atintande?
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
SECURITY CONCERNS (PART 1)!
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is feverishly and seriously planning towards the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary general elections. All efforts and preparations are geared towards using foul means more than fair means to win the elections. Realizing that its popularity is plummeting and conscious of imminent defeat by the main opposition, the NPP, in the 2012 general elections, the NDC has set out an elaborate plan to rig the elections by various means especially by intimidation, harassment, violence, military and police brutalities and violent actions and activities through its para-military organizations, associations, affiliates and foot soldiers. Similar strategies were used by the NDC in the Akwatia re-run, Chereponi and Atiwa Parliamentary elections in 2009 and 2010.
The Security Services are to play major roles in the overall scheme of events. The military, the police, the Immigration Service, the CEPS, the Prisons Service and Fire Service are all to play very vital roles in these operations, activities and actions to achieve the NDC mission of retaining power in the 2012 elections.
The NDC has planned and is implementing a strategy of recruiting Pro NDC personnel into the Security Services especially the Ghana Armed Forces, the Police Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and the CEPS.
Recruitment into the GAF has already started. The objective of the NDC is to recruit about 8ooo personnel into the GAF out of which at least 6000 should be Pro-NDC personnel. This massive recruitment exercise was preceded by the compulsory retirement of the 1978/79, 1982, 1983 personnel into the other Ranks Category. The number involved is about 4000 and comprises all personnel recruited between 1978 and 1983. There are plans to retire up to 1985 personnel before the elections of 2012. The massive retirement is to pave the way for the envisaged more massive recruitment of Pro-NDC personnel into the GAF. In order to fulfill the “conditionalities” of the Bretton Woods Institutions (IMF and World Bank) the NDC is portraying the exercise as recruitment on replacement basis and yet would double the intake of personnel.
The aim is to have a rejuvenated military and a more Pro-NDC military on which the NDC government could rely rather than the current mix which is more balanced than the envisaged one. A younger generation of Pro-NDC soldiers could be used to undertake robust, swift and clandestine activities more than the overaged mix that we currently have. It is also understandable that most of those persons recruited into the GAF between 1978 and 1985 served under Flt Lt Rawlings for a greater part of their service and might be more loyal to Ex-President Rawlings than President Mills. There is therefore the recognition of the need to have more Pro-President Mills and Vice–President Mahama personnel in the GAF than Pro Rawlings even though they are likely to be sympathetic to the NDC cause. It is therefore a strategic move on the part of the Mills Administration to reorganize the GAF to suit its present and medium term interests.
The current recruitment in the GAF and the Police Service in particular and other security services are geared towards these obligations. The massive fraud that has characterized the recruitment and enlistment exercises demonstrated the resolve of the NDC government to get its foot soldiers, sympathizers and members only into the GAF. The fraud started with the initial screening exercise. Contrary to previous well laid down procedures, the recent recruitment exercise was decentralized to allow the Service Headquarters (i.e. Army Hq, Navy Hq, Airforce Hq and Medical Directorate of the General Headquarters) to select only persons of their choice as instructed and directed by Castle, National Security Council Secretariat and NDC Headquarters. Various lists from Castle, office of the National Security Coordinator, NDC Headquarters, NDC Ministers, MPs and officials were given to the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Commanders (Chiefs of Army, Navy, and Airforce) and the Director General of Medical Services to be shortlisted.
The Director of Manpower Planning, Colonel BT Ba-Ta-Banah, was only given a list of persons to be issued with letters to go for regional screening without being given the opportunity to verify whether or not they were qualified by the laid down military standards. The EMS envelopes containing photocopies of the relevant educational and birth certificates were taken away from the Director Manpower Planning and given to the Service Headquarters and Education Directorate to do the short listing. The Education Directorate, in particular, with Colonel PK Senchim in charge, selected mostly only Pro-NDC persons for the regional screening. Colonel PK Senchim was the Army Secretary for both General SA Odotei and General JN Adinkrah (the current Army Commander) from May 2005 to February 2010 where he decided which Army officer was given what appointment and for how long. Colonel PK Senchim has been and is a die-hard member of the NDC and collaborated effectively with Gen SA Odotei and others to undermine Gen JB Danquah to facilitate NDC’s influence on the Army before, during and after the 2008 general elections.
According to what Gen JH Smith, the Defence Minister, said in Parliament about 45000 applications were received and only about 7000 were short listed. Most of the applicants not known to be sympathetic to NDC and whose names did not appear on lists sent by the NDC government through various channels were denied short listing.
The few unknown persons who were short listed for regional screening were denied progress to the next stage at the national level. The invitation letters given to such persons were collected from them at the regional screening. Most of such persons who were allowed to write the aptitude test were declared failures and their letters of invitation seized from them. Again, most of these unfortunate ones who managed to get selected for the national screening were failed in Accra and their letters collected from them. Their names were deleted from the lists sent to Accra and their index numbers given to Pro-NDC persons who either did not take part at all in the regional screening or failed the aptitude tests at the regional level. For instance, on 16th April 2010, when all personnel from the regions had been screened at the national level, over 300 pro-NDC persons who had not taken part in the exercise were suddenly sent to Burma Hall to write exams not under the auspices of the DMP but Wing Commander Fianya, Lt Cdr Kpetigo and Col Senchim and were made to replace non-NDC candidates.
Letters of invitation were given to these “intruders” after the DMP had been made to give the last index numbers of the various services especially the Army. These persons do not have their names in the initial books of the DMP. Others were also given Index Numbers of persons who had been sacked from the selection process earlier. Worse still some persons who had been informed that they had been successful and were to go to the 37 Military Hospital to undertake medical examinations got there only to realize that their index numbers had been given to different persons and their names deleted from the list and replaced with Pro-NDC candidates.
Letters were written by Lt Col AK Gbevlo-Lartey, the National Security Coordinator, directing the Military High Command to remove the names of persons suspected to be NPP sympathizers. These persons were either known NPP members, sympathizers or those known to have played roles such as polling agents, assistants or party officials at the 2008 general elections. Some of the affected persons were also persons who were part of the 420 Army Potential Recruits whose training was cancelled in 2009 and were associated with the NPP, NPP officials, NPP Members of Parliament, NPP Ex-Ministers and/or NPP members.
The aim of the actions and letters of the National Security Coordinator, NDC officials, members and sympathizers was to rid the process of all known or suspected NPP members or sympathizers.
The situation was the same for applicants who wanted to join the officer corps of the Ghana Armed Forces. In both cases (enlistment and recruitment) persons from Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern Regions were the main casualties of the positive discrimination strategy of the NDC government.
This strategy is to be repeated in all subsequent recruitment and enlistment exercises to ensure that at least 80% of all recruits and officer cadets are pro-NDC members, sympathizers or foot soldiers. Very reliable sources have indicated that the same strategies are to be used to recruit persons into the Police Service, the Immigration Service, CEPS, Prisons Service and the Fire Service.
The Police are to recruit about 15000 persons between 2010 and 2012 to augment its strength to reach the 40000 mark. This figure has been deliberately selected to be in harmony with the figure given by Nana Akufo Addo in the 2008 Presidential Campaign. The recent strategic plan of the Police was announced to make it appear as if it was the initiative of the Police Service itself and not the NDC government in order to distract attention from the NDC government.
The reality is that the NDC government is to exploit the Police short term strategic plan to its advantage. For instance, the announcement that all the ten regional capitals are to train police recruits is one of the strategies to facilitate the training of the NDC foot soldiers as police officers. Already, NDC foot soldiers under the guise of NYEP are being recruited into the Police Service. The first batch of such police officers have completed their police recruit training in the Upper East. Other foot soldiers are preparing to go for recruiting while several others have just begun training at various regional centers. All of those selected for training so far are pro-NDC.
Under the guise of scrutinizing and screening the members of the NYEP, all pro-NPP persons were denied selection while all pro-NDC members of the NYEP and others not on it at all have been selected for training. The trick here is that the NYEP is a product of the NPP regime and therefore any attack by the NPP on the program will be seen as a paradox while the NDC is cleverly exploiting it to provide employment for its foot soldiers and at the same time prepare for the 2012 and all future elections.
The domination of the Security Services by the NDC in the short-term and long-term is a cleverly thought, fashioned and planned strategy to outwit the NPP in particular.
A massive recruitment into the Police and other security services is to begin in June 2010 while the WORLD Cup is underway in South Africa in order to avoid scrutiny and detection of the fraud to be perpetrated. The selection process and the training of police personnel will continue from June 2010 until 2012 to enable the NDC government have enough pro-NDC young and junior police officers to deploy for various police duties and brutalities before, during and after the 2012 elections.
The Ghana Immigration Service is another security service that the NDC government has targeted for the 2012 and other future elections. The Immigration service forms the first line of defence against external aggression. The Immigration service can facilitate or deny entry of foreigners, unauthorized persons and mercenaries into Ghana. Sight should not be lost of how NDC-ferried voters came from Togo to vote during general presidential and parliamentary elections. The role of the Immigration service is therefore very critical and important in any attempt to fight this fraudulent practice exploited by the NDC in all previous elections.
The 90 persons recruited by the Ex-Minister of Interior, Mr Cletus Avoka, into the GIS in 2009 under the guise of training Liberian Immigration Service is too fresh to be ignored. Most of the 90 persons who have completed their initial training at Assin Foso and were given military training at Asutsuare thereafter have been deployed at the various entry points and are to play very important roles in the 2012 general elections. About 70% of the 90 persons come from the Upper East Region and in particular the Bawku-Zebilla general area. These were persons who were given military training in secret camps in the volatile Bawku general area before they were transported clandestinely to Assin Fosu. The lack of communication between the Minister of Interior and the then Commandant of the Immigration Training School, Major Agordekpe (Retired), resulted in the postings of the latter for not cooperating with the politicians.
Just as the Police are to do with effect from June 2010, the GIS are to continue with its recruitment and training of the Immigration officers with effect from June 2010 just at the time when the World Cup will be underway in South Africa. The GIS is to increase its strength by about 2000 by 2012. Out of the number, all or at least 80% are to be Pro-NDC sympathizers, members and/or foot soldiers the recruitment is to be clandestine and not open. Already, the Castle, the NSCS, NDC Headquarters, Ministers, MPs and NDC officials have submitted lists collated from all the 230 Constituencies to the appropriate quarters for selection and training of these NDC foot soldiers, members and sympathizers.
The Customs, Exercise and Preventive Service (CEPS) is also to benefit from the recruitment Exercise. At least about 1000 persons are to be recruited into the CEPS between 2010 and 2012. All of these persons or at least 90% are to be persons who are members, relatives of members, foot soldiers and/or sympathizers of the NDC. The aim of this recruitment is to have majority of persons in the CEPS being favorable to the cause of the NDC.
The CEPS will also contribute personnel towards the elections of 2012 as has always been the case in the past. The CEPS, GIS, Prisons Service and the Fire Service all contribute personnel to supplement and complement the efforts of the Police in providing security at the various Polling Stations across the country.
The names of all the Pro-NDC personnel who will be recruited into the CEPS are those to be kept by the National Security Council Secretariat and are those who will be released for the elections duties in 2012. The National Security Coordinator is to keep data on these Pro-NDC personnel in the CEPS and will monitor their deployment continuously. A directive would be given to the CEPS Commissioner to release only the Pro-NDC officers for the elections duties in 2012.
The Prisons Service and the Fire Service are also to recruit personnel. It is estimated that between the two services at least 3000 new persons are to be recruited. As in the case of GIS, CEPS and the Police Service, the Prisons Service and the Fire Service are to assist in the employment of NDC foot soldiers, members, relatives of members and sympathizers to ease the pressure on the NDC government and also ensure that they are used before, during and after the 2012 elections to promote the interest and cause of the NDC.
In all there are likely to be about 30000 polling stations throughout the country during the 2012 elections. The Police, ordinarily, are to provide security, at least one police officer, at each polling station to provide security and protect the ballot box(es). It is estimated that the Police may provide about half of this number i.e. about 15000 or at most 20000 if the Police strength is to reach the anticipated figure of 40000 by 2012. The remaining figure will be provided by the other Security Services namely the GIS, the Prisons Service, the Fire Service and the CEPS.
While the Police has the responsibility to do their normal duties of maintaining law and order and therefore cannot commit all their personnel into the elections duties, the other Security Services would be required to provide between 10000 and 15000 personnel to maintain security at the Polling Stations and protect the ballot boxes before, during and after the 2012 elections as Pro-NDC or NDC sympathizers. This will make it possible for the NDC to maximize their votes in their “strongholds” and minimize their losses in the opposition “strongholds” or facilitate the disruption of voting in opposition strongholds or even facilitate the rigging of elections in favour of the NDC in opposition strongholds.
Other Associations, Organizations and bodies that are funded entirely or partially by the state that need to be monitored because of their potential for assisting the NDC in its agenda 2012 are the BNI, NADMO, the National Service Secretariat and the Eco Brigade.
The Security Services are to play major roles in the overall scheme of events. The military, the police, the Immigration Service, the CEPS, the Prisons Service and Fire Service are all to play very vital roles in these operations, activities and actions to achieve the NDC mission of retaining power in the 2012 elections.
The NDC has planned and is implementing a strategy of recruiting Pro NDC personnel into the Security Services especially the Ghana Armed Forces, the Police Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and the CEPS.
Recruitment into the GAF has already started. The objective of the NDC is to recruit about 8ooo personnel into the GAF out of which at least 6000 should be Pro-NDC personnel. This massive recruitment exercise was preceded by the compulsory retirement of the 1978/79, 1982, 1983 personnel into the other Ranks Category. The number involved is about 4000 and comprises all personnel recruited between 1978 and 1983. There are plans to retire up to 1985 personnel before the elections of 2012. The massive retirement is to pave the way for the envisaged more massive recruitment of Pro-NDC personnel into the GAF. In order to fulfill the “conditionalities” of the Bretton Woods Institutions (IMF and World Bank) the NDC is portraying the exercise as recruitment on replacement basis and yet would double the intake of personnel.
The aim is to have a rejuvenated military and a more Pro-NDC military on which the NDC government could rely rather than the current mix which is more balanced than the envisaged one. A younger generation of Pro-NDC soldiers could be used to undertake robust, swift and clandestine activities more than the overaged mix that we currently have. It is also understandable that most of those persons recruited into the GAF between 1978 and 1985 served under Flt Lt Rawlings for a greater part of their service and might be more loyal to Ex-President Rawlings than President Mills. There is therefore the recognition of the need to have more Pro-President Mills and Vice–President Mahama personnel in the GAF than Pro Rawlings even though they are likely to be sympathetic to the NDC cause. It is therefore a strategic move on the part of the Mills Administration to reorganize the GAF to suit its present and medium term interests.
The current recruitment in the GAF and the Police Service in particular and other security services are geared towards these obligations. The massive fraud that has characterized the recruitment and enlistment exercises demonstrated the resolve of the NDC government to get its foot soldiers, sympathizers and members only into the GAF. The fraud started with the initial screening exercise. Contrary to previous well laid down procedures, the recent recruitment exercise was decentralized to allow the Service Headquarters (i.e. Army Hq, Navy Hq, Airforce Hq and Medical Directorate of the General Headquarters) to select only persons of their choice as instructed and directed by Castle, National Security Council Secretariat and NDC Headquarters. Various lists from Castle, office of the National Security Coordinator, NDC Headquarters, NDC Ministers, MPs and officials were given to the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Commanders (Chiefs of Army, Navy, and Airforce) and the Director General of Medical Services to be shortlisted.
The Director of Manpower Planning, Colonel BT Ba-Ta-Banah, was only given a list of persons to be issued with letters to go for regional screening without being given the opportunity to verify whether or not they were qualified by the laid down military standards. The EMS envelopes containing photocopies of the relevant educational and birth certificates were taken away from the Director Manpower Planning and given to the Service Headquarters and Education Directorate to do the short listing. The Education Directorate, in particular, with Colonel PK Senchim in charge, selected mostly only Pro-NDC persons for the regional screening. Colonel PK Senchim was the Army Secretary for both General SA Odotei and General JN Adinkrah (the current Army Commander) from May 2005 to February 2010 where he decided which Army officer was given what appointment and for how long. Colonel PK Senchim has been and is a die-hard member of the NDC and collaborated effectively with Gen SA Odotei and others to undermine Gen JB Danquah to facilitate NDC’s influence on the Army before, during and after the 2008 general elections.
According to what Gen JH Smith, the Defence Minister, said in Parliament about 45000 applications were received and only about 7000 were short listed. Most of the applicants not known to be sympathetic to NDC and whose names did not appear on lists sent by the NDC government through various channels were denied short listing.
The few unknown persons who were short listed for regional screening were denied progress to the next stage at the national level. The invitation letters given to such persons were collected from them at the regional screening. Most of such persons who were allowed to write the aptitude test were declared failures and their letters of invitation seized from them. Again, most of these unfortunate ones who managed to get selected for the national screening were failed in Accra and their letters collected from them. Their names were deleted from the lists sent to Accra and their index numbers given to Pro-NDC persons who either did not take part at all in the regional screening or failed the aptitude tests at the regional level. For instance, on 16th April 2010, when all personnel from the regions had been screened at the national level, over 300 pro-NDC persons who had not taken part in the exercise were suddenly sent to Burma Hall to write exams not under the auspices of the DMP but Wing Commander Fianya, Lt Cdr Kpetigo and Col Senchim and were made to replace non-NDC candidates.
Letters of invitation were given to these “intruders” after the DMP had been made to give the last index numbers of the various services especially the Army. These persons do not have their names in the initial books of the DMP. Others were also given Index Numbers of persons who had been sacked from the selection process earlier. Worse still some persons who had been informed that they had been successful and were to go to the 37 Military Hospital to undertake medical examinations got there only to realize that their index numbers had been given to different persons and their names deleted from the list and replaced with Pro-NDC candidates.
Letters were written by Lt Col AK Gbevlo-Lartey, the National Security Coordinator, directing the Military High Command to remove the names of persons suspected to be NPP sympathizers. These persons were either known NPP members, sympathizers or those known to have played roles such as polling agents, assistants or party officials at the 2008 general elections. Some of the affected persons were also persons who were part of the 420 Army Potential Recruits whose training was cancelled in 2009 and were associated with the NPP, NPP officials, NPP Members of Parliament, NPP Ex-Ministers and/or NPP members.
The aim of the actions and letters of the National Security Coordinator, NDC officials, members and sympathizers was to rid the process of all known or suspected NPP members or sympathizers.
The situation was the same for applicants who wanted to join the officer corps of the Ghana Armed Forces. In both cases (enlistment and recruitment) persons from Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern Regions were the main casualties of the positive discrimination strategy of the NDC government.
This strategy is to be repeated in all subsequent recruitment and enlistment exercises to ensure that at least 80% of all recruits and officer cadets are pro-NDC members, sympathizers or foot soldiers. Very reliable sources have indicated that the same strategies are to be used to recruit persons into the Police Service, the Immigration Service, CEPS, Prisons Service and the Fire Service.
The Police are to recruit about 15000 persons between 2010 and 2012 to augment its strength to reach the 40000 mark. This figure has been deliberately selected to be in harmony with the figure given by Nana Akufo Addo in the 2008 Presidential Campaign. The recent strategic plan of the Police was announced to make it appear as if it was the initiative of the Police Service itself and not the NDC government in order to distract attention from the NDC government.
The reality is that the NDC government is to exploit the Police short term strategic plan to its advantage. For instance, the announcement that all the ten regional capitals are to train police recruits is one of the strategies to facilitate the training of the NDC foot soldiers as police officers. Already, NDC foot soldiers under the guise of NYEP are being recruited into the Police Service. The first batch of such police officers have completed their police recruit training in the Upper East. Other foot soldiers are preparing to go for recruiting while several others have just begun training at various regional centers. All of those selected for training so far are pro-NDC.
Under the guise of scrutinizing and screening the members of the NYEP, all pro-NPP persons were denied selection while all pro-NDC members of the NYEP and others not on it at all have been selected for training. The trick here is that the NYEP is a product of the NPP regime and therefore any attack by the NPP on the program will be seen as a paradox while the NDC is cleverly exploiting it to provide employment for its foot soldiers and at the same time prepare for the 2012 and all future elections.
The domination of the Security Services by the NDC in the short-term and long-term is a cleverly thought, fashioned and planned strategy to outwit the NPP in particular.
A massive recruitment into the Police and other security services is to begin in June 2010 while the WORLD Cup is underway in South Africa in order to avoid scrutiny and detection of the fraud to be perpetrated. The selection process and the training of police personnel will continue from June 2010 until 2012 to enable the NDC government have enough pro-NDC young and junior police officers to deploy for various police duties and brutalities before, during and after the 2012 elections.
The Ghana Immigration Service is another security service that the NDC government has targeted for the 2012 and other future elections. The Immigration service forms the first line of defence against external aggression. The Immigration service can facilitate or deny entry of foreigners, unauthorized persons and mercenaries into Ghana. Sight should not be lost of how NDC-ferried voters came from Togo to vote during general presidential and parliamentary elections. The role of the Immigration service is therefore very critical and important in any attempt to fight this fraudulent practice exploited by the NDC in all previous elections.
The 90 persons recruited by the Ex-Minister of Interior, Mr Cletus Avoka, into the GIS in 2009 under the guise of training Liberian Immigration Service is too fresh to be ignored. Most of the 90 persons who have completed their initial training at Assin Foso and were given military training at Asutsuare thereafter have been deployed at the various entry points and are to play very important roles in the 2012 general elections. About 70% of the 90 persons come from the Upper East Region and in particular the Bawku-Zebilla general area. These were persons who were given military training in secret camps in the volatile Bawku general area before they were transported clandestinely to Assin Fosu. The lack of communication between the Minister of Interior and the then Commandant of the Immigration Training School, Major Agordekpe (Retired), resulted in the postings of the latter for not cooperating with the politicians.
Just as the Police are to do with effect from June 2010, the GIS are to continue with its recruitment and training of the Immigration officers with effect from June 2010 just at the time when the World Cup will be underway in South Africa. The GIS is to increase its strength by about 2000 by 2012. Out of the number, all or at least 80% are to be Pro-NDC sympathizers, members and/or foot soldiers the recruitment is to be clandestine and not open. Already, the Castle, the NSCS, NDC Headquarters, Ministers, MPs and NDC officials have submitted lists collated from all the 230 Constituencies to the appropriate quarters for selection and training of these NDC foot soldiers, members and sympathizers.
The Customs, Exercise and Preventive Service (CEPS) is also to benefit from the recruitment Exercise. At least about 1000 persons are to be recruited into the CEPS between 2010 and 2012. All of these persons or at least 90% are to be persons who are members, relatives of members, foot soldiers and/or sympathizers of the NDC. The aim of this recruitment is to have majority of persons in the CEPS being favorable to the cause of the NDC.
The CEPS will also contribute personnel towards the elections of 2012 as has always been the case in the past. The CEPS, GIS, Prisons Service and the Fire Service all contribute personnel to supplement and complement the efforts of the Police in providing security at the various Polling Stations across the country.
The names of all the Pro-NDC personnel who will be recruited into the CEPS are those to be kept by the National Security Council Secretariat and are those who will be released for the elections duties in 2012. The National Security Coordinator is to keep data on these Pro-NDC personnel in the CEPS and will monitor their deployment continuously. A directive would be given to the CEPS Commissioner to release only the Pro-NDC officers for the elections duties in 2012.
The Prisons Service and the Fire Service are also to recruit personnel. It is estimated that between the two services at least 3000 new persons are to be recruited. As in the case of GIS, CEPS and the Police Service, the Prisons Service and the Fire Service are to assist in the employment of NDC foot soldiers, members, relatives of members and sympathizers to ease the pressure on the NDC government and also ensure that they are used before, during and after the 2012 elections to promote the interest and cause of the NDC.
In all there are likely to be about 30000 polling stations throughout the country during the 2012 elections. The Police, ordinarily, are to provide security, at least one police officer, at each polling station to provide security and protect the ballot box(es). It is estimated that the Police may provide about half of this number i.e. about 15000 or at most 20000 if the Police strength is to reach the anticipated figure of 40000 by 2012. The remaining figure will be provided by the other Security Services namely the GIS, the Prisons Service, the Fire Service and the CEPS.
While the Police has the responsibility to do their normal duties of maintaining law and order and therefore cannot commit all their personnel into the elections duties, the other Security Services would be required to provide between 10000 and 15000 personnel to maintain security at the Polling Stations and protect the ballot boxes before, during and after the 2012 elections as Pro-NDC or NDC sympathizers. This will make it possible for the NDC to maximize their votes in their “strongholds” and minimize their losses in the opposition “strongholds” or facilitate the disruption of voting in opposition strongholds or even facilitate the rigging of elections in favour of the NDC in opposition strongholds.
Other Associations, Organizations and bodies that are funded entirely or partially by the state that need to be monitored because of their potential for assisting the NDC in its agenda 2012 are the BNI, NADMO, the National Service Secretariat and the Eco Brigade.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Ghana Armed Forces Deserter In Town!
A desertion by an officer of the rank of a Colonel occurred in the Ghana Armed Forces under strange circumstances in the last quarter of the year
2006.
Colonel E Brakatu (GH/2123) was appointed the Director of Strategic Intelligence at the Department of Defence Intelligence at the General Headquarters on 12th September 2006. The senior officer who was until then working at another Department at the General Headquarters failed to report at his new Department but rather absented himself without official leave (AWOL).
It became apparent after 28 days and finally six months that Colonel E Brakatu had in fact deserted from the Ghana Armed Forces.
This blog gathers that when information reached the Military High Command at that time that the senior officer had sought and obtained an appointment with the United Nations and was in the Darfur Region of Sudan, the necessary processes and procedures for declaring a person subject to the Code of Service Discipline as a deserter were followed and Colonel E Brakatu was accordingly released from the GAF for misconduct as a deserter to be apprehended and tried whenever he returns to Ghana.
According to Section 27 of the Armed Forces Act and Article 103.19 of the Armed Forces Regulations (Discipline) “Every person who deserts shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction, if he committed the offence on active service or when under orders for active service, shall be liable to imprisonment for life or to any less punishment provided by this Act, and in any other Case shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to any less punishment provided by this Act”.
Colonel E Brakatu deserted from the Ghana Armed Forces in 2006 but returned to Ghana a few months ago and in fact, this is his second home coming since he came home last year.
When he returned home last year, this senior officer was spotted walking freely in Burma Camp, at the Castle and at the premises of the Secretariat of the National Security Council chauffeur driven by agents and employees of the Security Agencies in official vehicles with the knowledge and consent of the ‘powers that be’.
According to sources, Colonel EWK Nibo, the out gone Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces was aware of the presence of Colonel E Brakatu in Ghana.
Indeed, when Colonel E Brakatu was seen in Burma Camp during the week 14th -18 September 2009, the lens of our sources captured the two senior officers heartily chatting.
It was open secret that an officer of the Ghana Armed Forces aided and abetted and connived at the desertion of Colonel E Brakatu.
This officer was seen parking and carting the property and personnel belongings of Colonel E Brakatu from his official residence to his private home.
Incidentally, this same officer is currently working at the Castle and is believed to be the one who has been providing vehicles and drivers to move the ‘deserter officer’ about freely in the country into and out of security zones with impunity.
This development according to our sources has been of great concern in the Ghana Armed Forces since other service personnel (officers and men) who returned to Ghana after deserting and were seen had been arrested, charged, Court Martialed and given appropriate punishments when found guilty.
There was a famous case in 2008 when an officer in the Ghana Airforce who had deserted returned to Ghana. The officer was Court Martialed and given the appropriate punishment upon conviction. Also, several soldiers have also suffered punishments in similar cases in the past.
It is therefore surprising and scandalous that Colonel E Brakatu is a free man and walking in the corridors of political power.
This blog learnt that Colonel E Brakatu might be walking freely because of his association with those who matters most when it comes to advising the President on security.
Colonel E Brakatu was the ADC to then Force Commander of the Ghana Armed Forces in the 1980s during the PNDC Administration. Thus, Colonel E Brakatu was the ADC to General Arnold Quiainoo for so many years and became a Staff Officer to him as well after being the ADC.
Also, Colonel E Brakatu was the ADC to General Arnold Quiainoo while the current Defence Minister, General Smith, was at various times the Director Military Training and Director Military Operations at the Force Headquarters at Flagstaff House.
Colonel E Brakatu became the Director Army Intelligence and Plans (DAIP) at Army Headquarters when General Smith was the Army Commander and had one of his former deputies as a former ADC to General Smith.
This blog found out that attempts are being made for the Military High Command and the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces; President Mills, to pardon Colonel E Brakatu so that he can really become a free officer cleansed of his sins of desertion to enable him get his pension benefits.
2006.
Colonel E Brakatu (GH/2123) was appointed the Director of Strategic Intelligence at the Department of Defence Intelligence at the General Headquarters on 12th September 2006. The senior officer who was until then working at another Department at the General Headquarters failed to report at his new Department but rather absented himself without official leave (AWOL).
It became apparent after 28 days and finally six months that Colonel E Brakatu had in fact deserted from the Ghana Armed Forces.
This blog gathers that when information reached the Military High Command at that time that the senior officer had sought and obtained an appointment with the United Nations and was in the Darfur Region of Sudan, the necessary processes and procedures for declaring a person subject to the Code of Service Discipline as a deserter were followed and Colonel E Brakatu was accordingly released from the GAF for misconduct as a deserter to be apprehended and tried whenever he returns to Ghana.
According to Section 27 of the Armed Forces Act and Article 103.19 of the Armed Forces Regulations (Discipline) “Every person who deserts shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction, if he committed the offence on active service or when under orders for active service, shall be liable to imprisonment for life or to any less punishment provided by this Act, and in any other Case shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to any less punishment provided by this Act”.
Colonel E Brakatu deserted from the Ghana Armed Forces in 2006 but returned to Ghana a few months ago and in fact, this is his second home coming since he came home last year.
When he returned home last year, this senior officer was spotted walking freely in Burma Camp, at the Castle and at the premises of the Secretariat of the National Security Council chauffeur driven by agents and employees of the Security Agencies in official vehicles with the knowledge and consent of the ‘powers that be’.
According to sources, Colonel EWK Nibo, the out gone Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces was aware of the presence of Colonel E Brakatu in Ghana.
Indeed, when Colonel E Brakatu was seen in Burma Camp during the week 14th -18 September 2009, the lens of our sources captured the two senior officers heartily chatting.
It was open secret that an officer of the Ghana Armed Forces aided and abetted and connived at the desertion of Colonel E Brakatu.
This officer was seen parking and carting the property and personnel belongings of Colonel E Brakatu from his official residence to his private home.
Incidentally, this same officer is currently working at the Castle and is believed to be the one who has been providing vehicles and drivers to move the ‘deserter officer’ about freely in the country into and out of security zones with impunity.
This development according to our sources has been of great concern in the Ghana Armed Forces since other service personnel (officers and men) who returned to Ghana after deserting and were seen had been arrested, charged, Court Martialed and given appropriate punishments when found guilty.
There was a famous case in 2008 when an officer in the Ghana Airforce who had deserted returned to Ghana. The officer was Court Martialed and given the appropriate punishment upon conviction. Also, several soldiers have also suffered punishments in similar cases in the past.
It is therefore surprising and scandalous that Colonel E Brakatu is a free man and walking in the corridors of political power.
This blog learnt that Colonel E Brakatu might be walking freely because of his association with those who matters most when it comes to advising the President on security.
Colonel E Brakatu was the ADC to then Force Commander of the Ghana Armed Forces in the 1980s during the PNDC Administration. Thus, Colonel E Brakatu was the ADC to General Arnold Quiainoo for so many years and became a Staff Officer to him as well after being the ADC.
Also, Colonel E Brakatu was the ADC to General Arnold Quiainoo while the current Defence Minister, General Smith, was at various times the Director Military Training and Director Military Operations at the Force Headquarters at Flagstaff House.
Colonel E Brakatu became the Director Army Intelligence and Plans (DAIP) at Army Headquarters when General Smith was the Army Commander and had one of his former deputies as a former ADC to General Smith.
This blog found out that attempts are being made for the Military High Command and the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces; President Mills, to pardon Colonel E Brakatu so that he can really become a free officer cleansed of his sins of desertion to enable him get his pension benefits.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
"We need Dreamers, We need Thinkers and We need Doers"
-Honorable Kennedy Ohene Agyapong for President ?-
Until now, this was the mental picture I had of the Hon. MP,Ken Agyapong: a rich and an arrogant "nut" whom, without his money, would never have been elected to Parliament. I had never met the man and knew nothing about him except a handful of audio sound bites of him on the various media websites and a few news items I had read about him. None of these painted a pretty picture.
One time, he had threatened to fight his District Chief executive. Another time, he had said he would give the extra cash he earned to his girlfriend and not the party after he had taken care of his family. Yet another time, he had called politicians from the Ashanti region as "confusionists",adding that he could also choose to act as such since he possessed that trait; due to the fact he was half Asante who hailed from Manpong. Not long ago, he bought a Rolls Royce as a 50th birthday present which I criticized in private as unbecoming of a public servant, since public servants were supposed to portray a sense of modesty.
To make matters worse, he had recently claimed that he would not campaign for Nana Addo because of the way Alan's men insulted him during the party primaries; that his car tires were worth more than MP's salaries; and that some MP's wore "obroni wawu" suits; not forgeting his constant reminder of how he was indispensable to the party because of the amount of cash he had spent and continues to spend on party cars, offices, campaigns etc.
Anytime I came across his "shenanigans" in the media, it re-enforced my belief that this man was a cancer, a divider, a sore, a disgrace to our party, the parliament and the nation; until now.
As far as the Hon.Ken Agyapong was concerned, I had bought into and fell for the media practice of highlighting and sensationalizing the negatives with sound bites, and out of context quotes and dimming the "boring" positives. Until I came across an in-depth video interview of the Honorable, he was definitely on my Sh*** list.
The NPP UK Youth had posted clips of the Hon. Ken Agyapong's appearance on a local show called "Time with David" on their website and had invited members to view the clip in order to get a different perspective on the Member of Parliament from Assin North in the Central region. As usual, I was expecting another politically incorrect "performance. Boy I was to be disappointed and greatly so. In fact, I could not help but applaud after I had finished watching the interview. It would be unnecessary to reproduce the entire interview of the MP with the host David Ampofo. But I can assure you that it's worth watching and one would come away with whole different idea about Ken Agyapong after viewing (The interview is 40 minutes long and broken down into a four sections; ten minutes per section.)
After viewing I felt I could move Mount. Afadjato to Kumasi, if I so desire. Ladies and Gentlemen,that was how inspirational the man was and is. There was not a single word, sentence, statement or an idea Mr.Agyapong uttered, made or shared that I found disagreeable.
During the interview, Mr. Agyapong was sober, reflective,very statesman-like, very polished and much mature. All the preconceived notions I had formed of the man, with the help of the media sound bites, evaporated. He rekindled a hope in my heart that our country indeed has a bright future as long as men of his caliber existed in our land. I felt that he was the kind of man the county would need at the helm of affairs in the future, if he was groomed.
Folks, the man have vision, the fire, the determination and the gumption to succeed at every venture he undertakes. And I can categorically state that if he were to run for the highest office in the land in the future, he will surely get my vote and it would not bother me at all to live under his presidency.
But the honorable MP has a few kinks to work on. I know politically, he is not mature – being an Mp for only ten years and only fifty years old. He would have to tone down his "rhetoric",especially when speaking in vernacular, avoid non essential interviews, appear on politically mature shows- such as the one I watched-, shun "reactive"interviews, rebrand his image, and surround him self with politically savvy managers and the sky would be the limit.
For ladies and Gentlemen, we have a political superstar, a hidden gem, in our midst. But do not take my word for it. Seek the aforementioned interview and find out for your self.
The Hon. MP for Assin North, Mr. Ken Ohene Agyapong ended the aforesaid interview with this quote: "we need dreamers, we need thinkers and we need doers." And He is indeed a dreamer, a thinker and a doer.
Credit:Akwasi A Afrifa Akoto
Until now, this was the mental picture I had of the Hon. MP,Ken Agyapong: a rich and an arrogant "nut" whom, without his money, would never have been elected to Parliament. I had never met the man and knew nothing about him except a handful of audio sound bites of him on the various media websites and a few news items I had read about him. None of these painted a pretty picture.
One time, he had threatened to fight his District Chief executive. Another time, he had said he would give the extra cash he earned to his girlfriend and not the party after he had taken care of his family. Yet another time, he had called politicians from the Ashanti region as "confusionists",adding that he could also choose to act as such since he possessed that trait; due to the fact he was half Asante who hailed from Manpong. Not long ago, he bought a Rolls Royce as a 50th birthday present which I criticized in private as unbecoming of a public servant, since public servants were supposed to portray a sense of modesty.
To make matters worse, he had recently claimed that he would not campaign for Nana Addo because of the way Alan's men insulted him during the party primaries; that his car tires were worth more than MP's salaries; and that some MP's wore "obroni wawu" suits; not forgeting his constant reminder of how he was indispensable to the party because of the amount of cash he had spent and continues to spend on party cars, offices, campaigns etc.
Anytime I came across his "shenanigans" in the media, it re-enforced my belief that this man was a cancer, a divider, a sore, a disgrace to our party, the parliament and the nation; until now.
As far as the Hon.Ken Agyapong was concerned, I had bought into and fell for the media practice of highlighting and sensationalizing the negatives with sound bites, and out of context quotes and dimming the "boring" positives. Until I came across an in-depth video interview of the Honorable, he was definitely on my Sh*** list.
The NPP UK Youth had posted clips of the Hon. Ken Agyapong's appearance on a local show called "Time with David" on their website and had invited members to view the clip in order to get a different perspective on the Member of Parliament from Assin North in the Central region. As usual, I was expecting another politically incorrect "performance. Boy I was to be disappointed and greatly so. In fact, I could not help but applaud after I had finished watching the interview. It would be unnecessary to reproduce the entire interview of the MP with the host David Ampofo. But I can assure you that it's worth watching and one would come away with whole different idea about Ken Agyapong after viewing (The interview is 40 minutes long and broken down into a four sections; ten minutes per section.)
After viewing I felt I could move Mount. Afadjato to Kumasi, if I so desire. Ladies and Gentlemen,that was how inspirational the man was and is. There was not a single word, sentence, statement or an idea Mr.Agyapong uttered, made or shared that I found disagreeable.
During the interview, Mr. Agyapong was sober, reflective,very statesman-like, very polished and much mature. All the preconceived notions I had formed of the man, with the help of the media sound bites, evaporated. He rekindled a hope in my heart that our country indeed has a bright future as long as men of his caliber existed in our land. I felt that he was the kind of man the county would need at the helm of affairs in the future, if he was groomed.
Folks, the man have vision, the fire, the determination and the gumption to succeed at every venture he undertakes. And I can categorically state that if he were to run for the highest office in the land in the future, he will surely get my vote and it would not bother me at all to live under his presidency.
But the honorable MP has a few kinks to work on. I know politically, he is not mature – being an Mp for only ten years and only fifty years old. He would have to tone down his "rhetoric",especially when speaking in vernacular, avoid non essential interviews, appear on politically mature shows- such as the one I watched-, shun "reactive"interviews, rebrand his image, and surround him self with politically savvy managers and the sky would be the limit.
For ladies and Gentlemen, we have a political superstar, a hidden gem, in our midst. But do not take my word for it. Seek the aforementioned interview and find out for your self.
The Hon. MP for Assin North, Mr. Ken Ohene Agyapong ended the aforesaid interview with this quote: "we need dreamers, we need thinkers and we need doers." And He is indeed a dreamer, a thinker and a doer.
Credit:Akwasi A Afrifa Akoto