History, the sage says, repeats itself in various forms and that could be by same, similar or hybrid forms. Several aspects of the administration of the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) under John Dramani Mahama as the “Official One” of the nation state of Ghana are similar to the former administration of the NDC under late Professor John Evans Atta Mills as “Official One” from January 2009 to July 2012 and from July 2012 to January, 2017 under John Dramani Mahama as “Official One” to the second Degree.
As a matter of fact, from January, 2009 to July 2012, the then “Official Two” as the dejure Vice President was in fact and indeed both the de facto President (Official One) and the Shadow President owing to the health challenges of the then incumbent President.
As the chairman of the Armed Forces Council and the Police Council, the Vice President and now the President of the Republic executed the diabolic plans by the NDC to purge the top hierarchy of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police Service. The hawks within and outside the Ghana Armed Forces, serving and retired offices with their political cohorts and business friends and partners saw to it that all perceived sympathizers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were systematically and carefully retired from the Ghana Armed Forces or removed from all sensitive and strategic appointments.
A lot of officers were retired by a series of publications by the Military Secretary between March and May 2009. The Military Secretary’s publications on 5th and 12th May 2009 were very explosive and removed a lot of senior officers, Brigadier Generals and Colonels and their equivalents in the Ghana Navy and Air force. Most of these officers were from a particular region and were suspected to be either members or sympathizers of the NPP.
The whole scheme to purge the Ghana Armed Forces of top elements of Akan and in particular Asante ethnic group was triggered by the late Jerry Rawlings, founder of the NDC. He barked in the middle of January 2009 that he did not understand why the late John Mills, then President of Ghana, was still dragging his feet in sacking NPP elements in the Security Services, especially the Ghana Armed Forces.
A few days later, Brigadier General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah (GH/512) MV, psc, jdc showed his open fustratrion in recommending officers for appointments into High Command positions in the military and Police Service in particular.
Finally, on Monday 26th January 2009, the first swords were drawn on the then Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General JB Danquah (GH/1202) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr. Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong. In their places, Rear Admiral ARS Nuno (GH/1308) (the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) was to act as the CDS while Mrs. Mills Robertson, then Deputy IGP (Administration) was to act as the IGP.
In March 2009, then Brigadier General PA Blay (GH/1398) serving as the Ghana Armed Forces’ Defense Attaché to the Federal Republic of Nigeria was recalled and appointed the CDS of Ghana Armed Forces while Mr. Paul Tawiah Quaye was appointed the IGP of the Ghana Police Service.
These two gentlemen who were considered to be moderates and cool-headed filled the nature and philosophy of President Mills.
The hawks in the NDC were not very comfortable with these two experienced, seasoned and matured Security Heads who resisted the persecution agenda.
The hawks had their way after the unexpected death of President Mills and especially after the 2012 controversial victory of President John Mahama as the elections petition of 2013 with a narrow split decision in favour of already sworn-in President John Mahama would reveal.
President Mahama put his security architecture together with his favourites in charge of Blue Gate, the Ghana Armed Forces, the Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, the Prisons Service and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
In the Ghana Armed Forces, Vice Admiral M Quashie and Air Marshal Michael Samsom – Oje did the job to perfection while in the Police Service, Mr. Mohammed Alhassan, the IGP and Commissioner of Police (COP) Ibrahim executed the plan to the admiration of President Mahama.
Fast forward to 2025, the NDC administration under President Mahama (Official One 3rd Degree) is pregnant with venom and is spewing fire with the hawks fully in charge. The aim of the hawks is to search and destroy all senior officers in the Security Services especially the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service.
The actions are in four phases. The first phase was the removal of two star Generals and above from the Ghana Armed Forces. In the Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Ghana Prison Service (GPS), the phase one was to change the Heads, replace them with NDC members who would then overhaul their respective services to suit the whims and caprices of the hawks.
That explains why General Oppong-Peprah (GH/2217) who is only 61 years old, Air Marshal Frederick Asare Kwasi Bekoe (GH/2423), Vice Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu (GH/2487), Lieutenant General Bismarck Kwasi Onwona (GH/2272) and Lieutenant General Joseph Osei-Owusu (GH/2220) were retired on 24th March, 2025 while fifteen (15) Major Generals and equivalents (Two star Generals) and ten (10) Originally Senior Brigadier Generals senior to the new Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs have been earmarked for retirement to pave the way for pro-NDC military officers to be appointed in their places.
Certainly leaving out all the two star Generals of Regular Career Course (RCC) Intakes 26, 27, 28 and 29 and appointing then Brigadier General (but now Major General) W Agyapong (GH/2431) of RCC 30 as the CDS; then Brigadier General (but now Major General) LK Gbetanu (GH/2504) of RCC 31 as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS); then Commodore (but now Rear Admiral) GL Bessing (GH/2617) of RCC 32 as the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS); then Air commodore (but now Air Vice Marshal) E Agyen-Frempong (GH/2603) of RCC 32 as the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) and then Air Commodore (but now Air Vice Marshal) JL Mensah – Larkai (GH/2609) of RCC 32 as the Chief Of Staff (CoS) General Headquarters fitted into the plans of the hawks in the NDC.
The phase two of the scheme has delayed in the Ghana Armed Forces owing to the sudden illness of the Vice President who needs to chair the meetings of the Armed Forces Council before the promotions and appointments of Colonels and above and their equivalents in the Navy and Air force could be made.
In the meantime, rumours are very rife in the barracks, especially Burma Camp, at the Square, Ministry of Defence and in NDC circles about the imminent changes in the Heads or Commandants of Military Institutions , Formation Commanders in the Army, Navy and Air Force , Departmental Heads (Director Generals) at the General Headquarters , Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Chief Staff Officers at the Service Headquarters (Army, Navy and Air Force), Directors at Service Headquarters, Staff officers at the Formation Headquarters with status of Directors, Deputy Directors and Commanding Officers of Units and sub-units.
