The desperate attempt by the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, to justify the release of two Star Generals and above from the Ghana Armed Forces after the appointments of then one-star Generals to the positions of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Chief of Air Staff (CAS) and Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces came under scrutiny when he appeared before the 9th Parliamentary of the 4th Republic.

The NPP Ranking Member for the Defence and Interior Committee of the 9th Parliament of the 4th Republic, Hon Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, MP for Assin South, asked the Minister for the rationale behind the release of fifteen (15) two star Generals and equivalents and above. The catch phrase was “TWO STAR GENERALS AND EQUIVALENTS AND ABOVE”.

It is clear from the question of Hon. Rev. Ntim Fordjour that he was talking of two star Generals (from the Army) and equivalents (from the Navy and Airforce namely Rear Admirals and Air Vice Marshals respectively) and above (meaning three star and four star Generals (from the Army) and equivalents (in the Navy and Airforce namely Vice Admirals and Air Marshals respectively.

Dr. Omane Boamah either forgot the conjunction AND (two star Generals and above) or deliberately wanted to stick to his prepared notes out of desperation and frustration. Dr. Omane Boamah questioned the basis for using the figure fifteen (15) and said emphatically that Hon. Ntim Fordjour was wrong in arriving at that figure. According to the Honourable Minister for Defence, he contemplated referring the question back to the Clerk of Parliament because of the figure fifteen (15).

We would like Dr. Omane Boamah to know that based on his own answers provided in Parliament, the figure quoted by Hon. Rev. Ntim Fordjour is correct.

Once the conjunction AND and the phrase AND ABOVE in Rev. Ntim Fordjour’s question to Dr. Omane Boamah have been clarified, we shall demonstrate the correctness of the question using the Minister’s own answers as follows.

The appointments of the then Brigadier Generals William Agyapong and Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu, then Commodore Godwin Livinus Bessing, Air Commodore Eric Agyen-Frempong and Air Commodore Joshua Lartei Mensah-Larkai as CDS, COAS, CNS, CAS and COS respectively led to the automatic retirement of five Generals of the ranks above Major General and equivalents.

For the avoidance of any doubt, the five affected are one (1) four star General and four (4) three star Generals are as follows:

  1. General Thomas Oppong-Peprah (4 star General) Army – CDS.
  2. Lieutenant General Bismark Kwasi Onwana (3 Star Army General – COAS)
  3. Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu (3 Star General Navy – CNS).
  4. Air Marshal Frederick Asare Kwasi Bekoe (3 Star Airforce General – CAS).
  5. Lieutenant General Joseph Prince Osei-Owusu (3 Star Army General-COS).

None of the five Generals named above had reached their compulsory retiring ages of at least sixty-five (65) years.

The ages of the five Generals named above are as follows. (Using 25th April 2015 MS Publication as authority).

  1. General T. Oppong-Peprah with Date of Birth 14th November 1963 was 61 years 4 months.
  2. Lieutenant General BK Onwana with Date of Birth 18th April 1965 was 60 years.
  3. Rear Admiral IS Yakubu with Date of Birth 10th March 1965 was 60 years 1 month.
  4. Air Marshal FAK Bekoe with Date of Birth 28th May 1967 was 57 years 11 months.
  5. Lieutenant General JP Osei-Owusu with Date of Birth 12th December 1962 was 62 years 4 months.

The Minister for Defence admitted that out of the fifteen Major Generals and equivalents inherited by the NDC Administration of President Mahama from the NPP Administration of Nana Addo, two were still at post on peace support operations outside the country. The two officers were named as follows:

  1. Major General Robert Yaw Affram (GH/2273) – Deputy Force Commander UNMISS.
  2. Major General Anita Asmah (GH/2577) – Force Commander UNDOF.

The Minister for Defence went further to explain that Air Vice Marshal Felix Adom Asante (GH/2602) had been appointed Acting President National Defence University (NDU).

Obviously this brings the number of Major Generals and equivalents retained out of the fifteen (15) Major Generals to three. Thus twelve (12) out of the fifteen (15) Major Generals and equivalents of the Ghana Armed Forces as at 7th January 2025 were to be released.

Dr. Omane Boamah tried dishonestly to say that Major General Irvine Nii-Ayitey Aryeetey (GH/2230) had not been released. This was what the Minister for Defence said about Major General IN Aryeetey: “One officer, Major General Irvin Nii-Ayitey Aryeetey is being considered for an international appointment at United Nations, which will see him promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General”.

This is dishonest and disingenuous on the part of the Minister. Major General IN Aryeetey had been released before the Minister appeared before Parliament.

We wish to remind the Minister for Defence that by the official Press Release of the Ghana Armed Forces on 28th April 2025 titled “CDS Holds Valedictory Meeting with Two Star Generals” and the Media Publications with Headings such as “GAF: CDS HOSTS OUTGOING 2-STAR GENERALS IN VALEDICTORY MEETING”,  it was Major General IN Aryeetey who spoke on behalf of his colleagues and tried desperately to explain that it was part of the military tradition for members of Senior Intakes to hand over to others of Junior Intakes citing as examples the handing/taking over between Lieutenant General Obed Boamah Akwa and Vice Admiral Seth Amoama and between Vice Admiral Seth Amoama and Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Pepreah.

Those Press Releases were authored by Brigadier General Eric Aggrey-Quashie (GH/2622), then Director General, Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces. If Major General IN Aryeetey were to be retained in the GAF, would he have been invited for the occasion, and would he have made the statement on behalf of his colleagues and also would he have thanked the CDS, then Major General William Agyapong, for hosting them?

We wish to put it to the Defence Minister, Dr. Omane Boamah, that he was not truthful to Parliament on the status of Major Gen IN Aryeetey.

Additionally, it was very wicked on the part of the Mahama Administration to have retired Major General Aryeetey if indeed he was being considered for an international appointment with the United Nations, which will see him promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.

We wish to state without any equivocation, ambiguity and shred of contradiction that the NDC Administration has nothing to do with Major General Aryeetey’s application for the UN appointment. If the Mahama Administration were sincere, honest and not ethnocentric, they would have kept Major General Aryeetey at post while he went through the interview and lobbying process. That would have enhanced the chances of Major General IN Aryeetey. Again, that would have strengthened Ghana’s lobbying chances to get the appointment at UN for Major General IN Aryeetey as an officer on active service but not one on Terminal leave.

Obviously, the consideration of Major General Aryeetey for an international UN appointment was an afterthought by Dr. Omane Boamah and the NDC Administration. We also wish to put on record that the three Major Generals and equivalent who have been retained by the Mahama Administration are all dye-in-wool NDC Members of long standing.

While the NPP Administration of Nana Akufo-Addo believed in fairness, merit and balanced appointment, the NDC is divisive, ethnocentric, malicious and wicked in making appointments in the Ghana Armed Forces.

Dr. Omane Boamah was reported to have indicated that Hon Rev Ntim Fordjour’s question was a “mischaracterization of the facts”. He stated as follows: “The Honourable Member’s question suggests the termination of all fifteen Major Generals (2-star) and equivalents. However, this assertion is inaccurate and must be corrected to avoid misleading the public,”

According to the Minister, eight of the fifteen Major Generals were already due for terminal leave pending their compulsory retirement.

An additional four officers aged between 60 and 62, are to be released in line with established practice, even though they have not yet reached their compulsory retirement age of 63. He continued as follows “this means that in total, twelve officers are being released, eight of whom are already due for retirement. The decision is neither unusual nor unprecedented”.

The combined effect of all our earlier explanations and those of Dr. Omane Boamah confirmed that more than fifteen Major Generals and equivalents and above have been released by the Ghana Armed Forces on the authority of the Military Secretary’s Publication of 25th April 2025 as follows:

  1. General T Oppeng-Peprah CDS – Released (4 Star)
  2. Lieutenant General BK Onwona COAS – Released (3 Star)
  3. Lieutenant General JP Osei-Owusu COS – Released (3 Star)
  4. Vice Admiral IS Yakubu CNS – Released (3 Star)
  5. Air Marshal FAK Bekoe CAS – Released (3 Star)
  6. Major General EW Kotia Commissioner General Ghana Boundary Commission – Released (2 Star)
  7. Major General AY Nsiah – Chief Defence Intelligence – Released (2 Star)
  8. Major General IN Aryeetey – Commandant National College of Defence Studies – Released (2 Star)
  9. Major General RY Gyane – Commandant Kofi-Annan International Peacekeeping Centre (2 star) – Released
  10. Major General MA Amoah – Joint Taskforce Commandant Operation Koudanlguo, HQ JTF – Released (2 Star)
  11. Rear Admiral Eric Adu – Commandant, HQ TRADOC – – Released (2 Star Naval Generals)
  12. Major General JA Aphour – Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations and Training) – Released (2 Star)
  13. Rear Admiral Samuel Agyenim – Boateng-Deputy Chief of Staff (Logistics) – – Released (2 Star Naval General)
  14. Major General Mathew Essien – Commandant Ghana Armed Force Command and Staff College – Released (2 Star)
  15. Major General Daniel Yaw Aduboafo Nyarko – Deputy Chief of Staff (P & P) – Released (2 Star)
  16. Major General Raymond Kwabla Ewusi – Deputy Chief of Staff Medical-Released (2 Star)
  17. Major General Charles Agyemang – Prempeh – Commandant Ghana Military Academy – Released (2 Star)

We challenge Dr. Omane Boamah to provide documentary evidence proving that any of the above named seventeen (17) Major Generals and equivalents and above is still in the Ghana Armed Forces on active service.

The Military Secretary’s Publication of 28th April 2025 is our authority as it has appointed officers to fill the positions held by these officers as follows:

  1. At Page A-1 of Annex A to GHQ/18023/MS dated 28 April 25 SrI I indicated that Major General W Agyapong (GH/2431) had been posted from office of MILAD UNHQ, NY to GHQ (CDS), with effect from 24 Mar 25 and promoted Lieutenant General with effect from 1st May 25.
  2. At SrI 3 of Page A – I of above reference showed that Major General LK Gbetanu (GH2504) had been posted from R List to Army HQ COAS with effect from 24 Mar 25 and ceased to be seconded to UNISFA with effect from 14 Mar 25.
  3. At Page A-20 of above reference at SrI 313, Rear Admiral GL Bessing (GH/2617) had been posted from the office of DA, Abuja, Nigeria to Naval HQ, CNS with effect from 24 Mar 25 with remarks Ex-DA duties.
  4. At Page A-25 of same reference at SrI 403, AVM E Agyen –Fremmpong (GH/2603) had been posted from AFB Accra to AF HQ, CAS with effect from 24 Mar 25.
  5. At the same page A-25 of same reference, at SrI 404, AVM JL Mensah – Larkai had been posted from AFB Tamale to GHQ (COS) as Chief Of Staff with effect from 24 Mar 25.
  6. At the bottom of Page A-25 of same reference, AVM FA Asante (GH/2602) was posted from GHQ (COS) to National Defence University as the Acting President.

The above excerpts of the Military Secretary’s Publication of 28th April 25 emphatically prove that a new CDS, New Service Chiefs for the Army, Navy, Air force and a Chief of Staff had been appointed by the Mahama Administration of which Dr. Omane Boamah is the Minister for Defence. That puts the question of the retirement of five former occupants of those appointments to rest. They were four (4) three star Generals and equivalents and one (1) four star General. That puts the number of Generals (three stars and above) retired at five (5).

Some of the twelve Major Generals and equivalent released were also replaced as follows:

  1. Brigadier General FD Ntiri (GH2678) (SrI 6 of MS dated 25 April 25) was appointed the Commandant of the National College of Defence Studies in place of Major General IN Aryeetey (GH/2230) with effect from 25 April 2025.
  2. Brigadier General SWK Parbey (GH/2554) (SrI 9 of same MS Publication) was appointed to replace Major General AY Nsiah (GH/2277) as the Chief of Defence Intelligence
  3. Brigadier General W Dzandu – Hedidor (GH/2435) at SrI 7 was posted from GHQ (Trg) to HQ Northern Command as Joint Task Force Commander of Operation Koudalgou in place of Major General ANA Amoah (GH/2279) with effect from 25 April 2025.
  4. At Srl 12 of the MS publication, Brigadier General CK Lithur (GH/2502) was posted from NCDS to Ghana Military Academy as the Commandant to replace Major General Chalres Agyemang-Pempeh (GH/2432)
  5. At SrI 13 of the same Authority, Brigadier General A. Ntem (GH/2434) was posted from HQ Army Sig Bde to Army HQ Camp as the Commissioner General Ghana Boundary Commission to replace Major General Emmanuel Wekem Kotia (GH/2222).
  6. At SrI 314 at Page A-20, Commodore Maxwell Arhen (GH/2742) was posted from HQ Eastern Naval Command to TRADOC as Commander to replace Rear Admiral Eric Adu (GH/2367)
  7. At SrI 409 at Page A-26, Air Commodore DA Akrong (GH/2614) was posted from KAIPTC as Deputy Commandant to become the Commandant KAIPTC in place of Major General Richard Addo Gyene (GH/2270)
  8. At SrI 10 at Page A-I, Brigadier General Jackson Wonje (GH/2549) was posted from GHQ (Provost Marshal) to Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) as the Commandant to replace Major General Mathew Essien (GH/2368)

The appointments of four (4) Major Generals and equivalent were abolished and the Generals have been retired compulsorily. The appointments and Generals affected are as follows:

  1. Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations and Training) – Major General JA Aphour
  2. Deputy Chief of Staff (Logistics) – Rear Admiral S. Agyenim – Boateng
  3. Deputy Chief of Staff (P&P) – Major General DYA Nyarko
  4. Deputy Chief of Staff (Medical) – Major General RK Ewusi

With the above facts, can Dr. Omane Boamah, the Minister for Defence, say that not more than fifteen (15) two star Generals (i.e. Major Generals) and equivalents and above have been retired as stated in the “Question” of Hon Rev John Ntim Fordjour on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday 11th June 2025?

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