The polemics of “D’ accord or Pas D’ accord “ surrounding the appointment of Four Star General Thomas Oppong-Peprah as Deputy Head of Mission in Canada are raging on fiercely in and outside barracks in all the Garrisons, and cities and some towns and villages in Ghana.
While the proponents for the acceptance of the appointment by General Oppong-Peprah are chastising those against it by arguing that the “against people” are crying and weeping more than the bereaved widow, orphans and family members, a group of the “against people” calling themselves “FRIENDS OF OPPONG-PEPRAH” have issued a press statement as follows:
REJECT THE DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENT TO CANADA – A CALL TO PROTECT THE DIGNITY OF THE GHANA ARMED FORCES
The Friends of Oppong Peprah have learned, with deep concern, of the appointment of General (Rtd.) Thomas Oppong Peprah, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces, as Deputy High Commissioner to Canada.
While we recognize the prerogative of the Government to appoint persons to diplomatic positions, we find this particular appointment deeply inappropriate, demeaning, and inconsistent with the high esteem and honour traditionally accorded to former Chiefs of Defence Staff.
Historically, all former CDS officers of the Ghana Armed Forces have been granted substantive ambassadorial roles, reflecting their distinguished service to the nation and the prestige of the uniform they wore with dignity. To appoint Major General Oppong Peprah as a deputy rather than a substantive High Commissioner is not only a departure from precedent but also a profound act of disrespect to the institution of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Beyond the institutional slight, this appointment constitutes a personal embarrassment to General Oppong Peprah, a man who served his country with unparalleled discipline, loyalty, and honour. It sends an unfortunate signal to serving officers — that no matter how meritoriously one serves, one’s loyalty and service can be reduced to token gestures. We therefore urge General Oppong Peprah to respectfully decline this appointment, in the interest of preserving the dignity of the Ghana Armed Forces and the integrity of his illustrious career.
Should financial considerations or post-retirement welfare be a factor influencing his decision, we, Friends of Oppong Peprah, stand fully prepared to mobilize the necessary resources to support him in retirement— so that he may retire in honour, as he would have done within the ranks of the noble Ghana Armed Forces.
Respectfully submitted,
Friends of Oppong Peprah
Accra, Ghana
8th October, 2025
This is a very powerful statement from “Friends of General Oppong-Peprah” that needs serious consideration, discussion and adoption by the only surviving Four Star General of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The lawyers would say “Res Ipsa Loquitur” originating from Latin literally meaning “the matter speaks for itself”. In this case the press statement by the Friends of General Oppong-Peprah speaks for itself.
The moral issues raised by the press statement of the “Friends of General Oppong Peprah” border on “dignity”, “respect” and “honour” to be accorded General Oppong-Peprah and “precedent” to be followed by the Government in appointing General Oppong-Peprah to diplomatic service.
We had previously provided evidence of status and positions of military officers, serving and retired, who had been posted to full diplomatic service since the 1970s under General Igntius Kutu Acheampong, 1980s under Jerry Rawlings, 1990s under Jerry Rawlings, 2000s under Presidents John Kufuor, John Mills, John Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo.
It was clear from those appointments that “dignity”, “respect” and “honour” had been accorded Colonels, Brigadier Generals, Major Generals, Lieutenant Generals and their equivalents.
We join the Friends of General Oppong Peprah in calling on President Mahama to do the needful by “restoring” General Oppong-Peprah to his rightful position in history, military service, dignity, respect and honour. Anything short of that would be tantamount to disrespect, discrimination, injustice, unfair and unreasonable treatment against a distinguished military General of distinguished career, exceptional, abilities, skills, knowledge, competence and experience.
We are very mindful of the “Yentie Obiara”, “Woreka no koraa na mere ye no more” and “dead goat” syndromes of President Mahama which will let him brush the press statement of the Friends of General Oppong Peprah and the argruments raised in this community aside.
We are of a strong conviction that President Mahama has cleverly ambushed General Oppong-Peprah for some remote malicious motives.
General Oppong-Peprah accepts the offer from President Mahama at his own risk and rejects it to fall into a lion’s den in the Savannah Region where the lions of Bole Park are anxiously waiting to devour him during the tenure of office of the “Gonja Lion and Supreme Leader”.
We wish to ask President Mahama, with all humility and respect, is it because General Oppong-Peprah was appointed the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Chief of Staff (COS) and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Southern Command under President Nana Akufo-Addo that you are treating him this way?
If it were so, then why did President JEA Mills appoint Major General Samuel Anum Odotei as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Namibia?
If it were not so, then why is President Mahama not treating General Oppong-Peprah the same way as he treated Lieutenant General Peter Augustine Blay, a former Chief of Defence Staff?
President Mahama, please remember that in 2013, you retired Lieutenant General PA Blay, who had been appointed CDS in March 2009 by President JEA Mills, and appointed him Ghana’s Ambassador to La Cote d’Ivoire. Obviously, what was good for the Nzema General should be equally good for the Bono General.
Perhaps, President Mahama, you have forgotten that General Oppong-Peprah is a subject of your best friend, now Court of Appeal Judge Nana Osagyefo Agyemang Badu II, the Dormaahene and a staunch member of the NDC.
If for nothing, please for the sake of the Dormaahene please reconsider the appointment of General Oppong-Peprah and put him at the rightful level in the diplomatic service for purposes of dignity, honour, respect and remunerations, and for following prudent precedents.
If President Mahama cannot change his decision on General Oppong but insists on maintaining him as the Deputy High Commissioner to Canada, then we throw our full support behind the “Friends of General Oppong-Peprah” by calling on the distinguished General to politely decline or reject the offer in order to maintain his dignity and that of the Ghana Armed Forces.
We are afraid to state that gradually President Mahama is becoming very notorious for appointing persons who are or were involved in “misconduct” into respectable positions while ignoring or marginalizing those who are objective, positively hardworking and diligent.
A lot of NDC Communicators, media personnel and party officials who had the habit of insulting persons holding high offices of the land, including the former President, former Vice President, former Chief Justice and former Ministers, are the ones that President Mahama has rewarded with high profile positions.
Paradoxically, President Mahama has decided to humiliate, demean and demoralize General Oppong-Peprah by making him a Deputy Head of Mission, against military norms, dignity, honour and respect, and against verifiable and authentic precedents in the appointment of military officers, serving and retired to the positions of Heads of Missions as Ambassadors and High Commissioners.
Is it fair for President Mahama to appoint Captain G Nfojoh (GH/1619) (Retired) as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Togo while appointing General T Oppong-Peprah to Canada as the Deputy Head of Mission?
If President Mahama cared he would have known that Captain G Nfojoh was not honorably released from the Ghana Armed Forces. Captain G Nfojoh (GH/1619) was commissioned into the Public Relations Directorate of the Ghana Armed Forces on 25th November 1975 as part of the Short Service Commissioned Officers Intake 1 of 1975 (SSC1/75) with the rank of Lieutenant.
Captain G Nfojoh (GH/1619) was released from the Ghana Armed Forces on 12th November, 1986 (after about 11 years of service with the colors) for misconduct. Yet, President Mahama finds him suitable for appointment as Ghana’s High Commissioner to Togo, but sees General T Oppong-Peprah as unsuitable for appointment as Head of Mission (either as Ambassador or High Commissioner)!! Eeeii, ANIMAL FARM!
What about Lieutenant RA Jakpa (GH/2899)? Lieutenant RA Jakpa was commissioned on 21st August 1998 as a Troop Leader into the Armor Corps of the Ghana Army. He was on 1st November 2011 released for “service terminated” as as testified to in court, by appropriate authorities of the Ghana Armed Forces but has been appointed by President Mahama as a Director of Operations at the Secretariat of the National Security architecture.
Lieutenant RA Jakpa (Rtd) has become a symbol of terror in the arrests and violent assaults on persons suspected to have committed offences against the state.
What about Major WK Agbemava (GH/2546) of RCC 32? Major WK Agbemava (GH/2546) was commissioned into the Ghana Army as an Infantry Officer on 14th August 1992 and released on 11th February 2005 for “Unsatisfactory Conduct”. But where is he? President Mahama has added him to the “dreaded operational department” of the National Security Secretariat.
It is very interesting to note that Lieutenant RA Jakpa (GH/2899) of RCC 38 was commissioned into the Ghana Armed Forces during the second mandate of the late President John Rawlings when President Mahama was a Minister of State and had his “service terminated” in November 2011, when President Mahama was Vice President of the Republic of Ghana and the Chairman of the Armed Forces Council.
For some strange reasons both Major WK Agbemava and Lieutenant RA Jakpa are allegedly linked to the NDC’s hatred for General T Oppong Peprah.
Our investigations have revealed that the appointment of General T Oppong-Peprah as Deputy Head of Mission to Canada is a strategy of good riddance as the NDC regime fears the popularity of General Oppong-Peprah. The current Military High Command is also not very comfortable with the presence of General T Oppong-Peprah in Ghana. Over to you, General Oppong-Peprah!!
Our investigations have revealed that General Oppong-Peprah undertook a lot of infrastructural developments for the Ghana Armed Forces within the short periods that he was the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff. The legacy of General Oppong-Peprah in infrastructure is visible in all the Garrisons of the Ghana Armed Forces, but especially in Burma Camp.
General Oppong-Peprah’s concerns for the welfare and well-being of officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces were unprecedented in the annals of the Ghana Armed Forces.
A lot of the projects, especially accommodation for residential purposes, initiated by the visionary General have stalled!
The officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces are crying and yearning for the completion of these projects. The name of General Thomas Oppong-Peprah is everywhere in the Ghana Armed Forces. “Oppong-Peprah scent no agye baabiara”. To wit, General Thomas Oppong-Peprah’s scent (presence) is felt everywhere in the Ghana Armed Forces.
The best way to overpower this powerful and ubiquitous scent of General Oppong-Peprah is to humiliate him with the appointment of Deputy Head of Mission in Canada.
It is also very significant to note that General Oppong-Peprah is being appointed a Deputy High Commissioner to Canada at a time that a very relatively younger person is the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Variously referred to as a “baby with sharp teeth,” an Asukonoma (courtesy Honourable Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, MP for Mampong), “Chief Propagandist,” “Mr National Cathedral,” “Hon Occupant of Sister’s Multi-Million Residential Accommodation,” “Hon Diverter of Car Loans for Tractors,” “Honourable I will resign if President Mahama flies in chartered flights/aircrafts,” etc, Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is currently Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister.
General Oppong-Peprah with 14th November 1963 as his date of birth is almost two decades older than the Foreign Minister who would be calling the shots and would show no respect to General Oppong- Peprah.
In the past, Ghana has had very experienced and well trained respectable Commissioners and Ministers for Foreign Affairs under whom military officers served as Heads of Missions (Ambassadors and High Commissioners) such as Colonel RM Baah (GH/374) of GMA 1, under General IK Acheampong, Colonel RJA Felli (GH/511), GMA 2, under Gen FWK Akuffo, Dr Yao Obed Asamoah (the longest serving Minister for Foreign Affairs) under Jerry John Rawlings as Chairman for PNDC and President, Mr Victor Gbeho, under Jerry John Rawlings as President, Honourable Hackman Owusu – Agyemang and then Honourable Nana Akufo-Addo under President JA Kufuor, Honourable Mumuni under Presidents JEA Mills and JD Mahama and Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchway under President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Can the same be said of the ASUKONOMA?
