Response To Dr Omane Boamah (2)

It is quite unfortunate that the Minister for Defence tried to justify and rationalize the ethnocentrically and politically motivated and vindictive release of seventeen (17) military officers of the ranks of General (1), Lieutenant General (4) and Major Generals (12) and the equivalents from the Ghana Armed Forces on the authority of President Mahama, the rubber-stamp Armed Forces Council and the hawks in the NDC.

The hypocrisy of President Mahama was exposed when he condescended to the status of a Vice President, to approve the release of these Generals and the removal of Akan Officers, especially Asantes, from their command appointments and shamefully replaced them with tribalistic Ewes and Northerners.

Dr. Omane Boamah was reported to have told Parliament on Wednesday 11^th June 2025 that the President had the constitutional and legal mandate to effect those changes. The Minister stated that, the President, as Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, acted in full compliance with Article 212 of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs in consultation with the Council of State.

It is true and correct to state that the President had the constitutional and legal mandate to appoint the CDS and Service Chiefs on the advice and in consultation with the Council of State. Once the Minister raised the issue of legality and constitutionality, may we ask the Minister if the President was mandated to chair the Armed Forces Council to approve the appointments of the CDS, Service Chiefs, other lower appointments and also remove Akan (especially Asantes) officers from their positions or Commanding Officers.

Article 211 clearly states that there shall be established an Armed Forces Council which shall consist of

1. The Vice President, who shall be chairman.
2. The Ministers responsible for Defence, Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs.
3. The Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs and a Senior Warrant Officer or its equivalent in the Armed Forces.
4. Two other persons appointed by the President acting in consultation with the Armed Forces.

The language used in this Article is mandatory:

The Vice President shall be Chairman of the Armed Forces Council. It means the legal and constitutional mandate for chairing the Armed Forces Council fell on the Vice President and not the President. Yet, owing to the diabolic, vindictive and wicked intentions of the President and his Mafias of Agbadza and Batakari fraternities, the President personally sat as the Chairman of the Armed Forces Council on Friday 25^th April 2025 to perfect and execute these plans.

Why could the President not wait for Her Excellency, the Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman to recover and come to Ghana to chair the meeting of the Armed Forces Council? Why was the President in a hurry to act in that manner? Was it because the President and the NDC hawks were not sure of the health status of the Vice President at the time? Were they afraid that the Vice President might become a vegetable and incapable of performing her constitutional duties? These questions agitated the minds of some well-meaning and patriotic Ghanaians, especially senior military officers, serving and retired.

The Minister for Defence in his statement to Parliament described the move to release several high-ranking officers from the Ghana Armed Forces, following the appointment of a Brigadier General as Acting CDS as a strategic measure to enhance service efficiency, align with precedent, and uphold the nation’s security objectives.

We wonder how the release of more matured, experienced and seasoned Generals could enhance service efficiency? We also wonder how the appointment of then Junior Brigadier Generals as CDS, COAS, CNS and CAS could enhance efficiency?

Did the Minister for Defence bother to find out the professional development and academic qualifications of the released Generals and those of the NDC darling crop of Generals constituting the current Military High Command? Was the Minister mindful of the previous appointments, command and staff, of the released officers and those of the current Military High Command? Was the Minister for Defence concerned about the practical experience and exposure of the released Generals and those of the current Military High Command?

For instance, what was the performance (success rate) of the current CDS in the fight against galamsey? It is worthy to note that the current CDS was one of the Senior Military Officers charged with the responsibility of fighting the destructive and unprofessional mining practices (popularly called galamsey) in Ghana. What was the CDS’ level of achievement or success when he led that operation? Any wonder that galamsey is now out of control, free-for-all and executed with abundance of recklessness, irresponsibility and impunity?

Have we not thrown our hands in despair by appointing a galamsey-failure General as CDS at a time that the destructive mining practices are threatening our very existence as a nation?

When foreigners, especially Burkinabes, Ivorians, Nigerians and Togolese, are in the hearts of our forests and on our water bodies doing justice to President Mahama’s 24-hour economy mantra, day and night, can Ghanaians be safe with their lives and environment with the current CDS, who failed woefully to fight galamsey, at the helm of affairs?

Could that be the reason why a retired Brigadier General, who can hardly walk, is now the Task Force Commander?

Honourable Minister for Defence, may we ask whether enhancing efficiency in the Ghana Armed Forces means removing all Akans from Command and Staff appointments and replace them with Ewes and Northerners? What was the justification for removing the following Commanding officers from their appointments?

1. Col Miki Adusei Nkrumah (GH/3057) – Forces Pay Regiment.
2. Lt Col Louis Boakye (GH/3190) – 69 Airborne Force (ABF), earmarked for UNIFIL as Ghanbatt Commanding Officer.
3. Lt Col Akoto Kofi Appau (GH/3530) – 3 Bn
4. Lt Col Samuel Twumasi (GH/3535) – Def Sig Regt and earmarked as Commanding Officer ECOMIG GhanaCoy 9.
5. Lt Col Edmund Nana Nyarko Osae (GH/3537) CO 2Bn and earmarked for operations as CO UNISFA GHANABATT 4.
6. Lt Col Kwame Owusu Afriyie (GH/3547) – CO 5Bn
7. Lt Col Sarfo Kantanka Dapaah (GH/3607) – CO 4Bn earmarked for operations as CO UNMISS Ghanabatt 13.
8. Lt Col Theophilus Fosu Appiah (GH/3365) – CO 64 Infantry Regiment

Will the Hon Minister for Defence be kind enough to indicate how the removal of the above-named officers from their Command appointments could help in enhancing efficiency?

Again, will the Hon Minister for Defence be generous enough to show Ghanaians how the appointment of the following officers to replace some of the above-named officers help to enhance efficiency in the Ghana Armed Forces?

1. Col Rowland Yao Deegbe (GH/3070) – Commanding Officer, Forces Pay Regiment.
2. Lt Col Evans Yaw Mensah Komedjah (GH/3255) – Commanding Officer, 69 Airborne Force
3. Lt Col Michael Naah (GH/3617) –  Commanding Officer, 3 Bn.
4. Lt Col Jebuni Emmanuel Wumbeidow (GH/3548) – Commanding Officer 4 Bn
5. Lt Col Prosper Sapey Adablah (GH/3613) – Commanding Officer, 5Bn.
6. Lt Col Jamal – Dinn Bamie (GH/3371) – Commanding Officer, 64 Infantry Regiment
7. Lt Col John Majeed Baluo (GH/3355) – Commanding Officer 41 Defence Signal Regiment

Hon Minister for Defence, with all due respect, could it not be inferred from the two lists above (Removed) Commanding Officers (8) and appointed Commanding Officers (7) that under the NDC government of President Mahama, the CDS and the COAS, enhancing efficiency in the Ghana Armed Forces, among other diabolic, vindictive and wicked plans, means removing all Akans, especially Asantes, and replacing them with Ewes, Northerners and non-Akan Military Officers?

Obviously, resetting Ghana in the Ghana Armed Forces means putting only Ewes, Northerners and NDC faithfuls in all the sensitive Command and Staff appointments and most importantly removing all Asanttes from Command appointments. What a dangerous and wicked resetting!!!

The Honorable Minister for Defence also described the move as aligning with precedent. Providing historical and precedent contexts, the Minister for Defence made references to 2001, 2005 and 2009. Sadly, the Minister for Defence dealt with figures and superficial matters only. He failed woefully to place those precedents in their proper contexts and perspectives. It is trite knowledge that a new government may wish to effect changes in the Command Structure of the Security Services, especially the Armed Forces. It is the manner in which such changes are made that concerns may be raised such as happened in March and April 2025 under President Mahama.

What happened in 2001 under President Kufour? In 2001, when President Kufour assumed office on 7^th January, the Top echelon of the Ghana Armed Forces among others was as follows:

1. CDS – Lt Gen Ben K Akafia (GH/570) (3 stars)
2. CAS – Air Marshal JA Bruce (GH/678) – (3 stars)
3. Army Commander – Lt Gen JH Smith (GH/830) (3 stars)
4. CNS – Vice Admiral EO Owusu – Ansah (GH/1066) (3 Stars)
5. Chief of Staff – Major General CA Okae (GH/1213) (2 Stars)
6. Force Commander UNIFIL – Major General SK Obeng (GH/819). (2 Stars)
7. GOC Northern Command – Major General HK Anyidoho (GH/788) ( 2 Stars)
8. GOC Southern Command – Major General FY Mahama (GH/982) (2 Stars)
9. Major General AK Djangmah (GH/525) – Director General Prisons Service (2 Stars)
10. Major General JP Adda (GH/596) – Chief Fire Officer, Ghana National Fire Service (2 Stars)
11. Rear Admiral JY Adoko (GH/1069) – Commandant MATS (2 Stars)
12. Major General NC Coleman (GH/1079) – Commandant GAFCSC (2 Stars)
13. Brigadier General CB Yaache (GH/1078) – Commandant Kofi Annan International Peace-keeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) – (One Star)
14. Commodore J Gbenah (GH/1135) – X List, NDC India
15. Air Commodore EA Mantey (GH/1227)
16. Brigadier General FK Mensah Yawson (GH/1338)

In March 2001, President Kufour reconstituted the Top echelon of the Ghana Armed Forces as follows:

1. CDS – Major General SK Obeng (The Senior most 2 Star General and a mate of Lt Gen JH Smith) – Later promoted Lt Gen.
2. COAS – Brigadier General CB Yaache (formerly Commandant KAIPTC) – Later promoted Major General
3. CNS – Air Commodore J Gbenah – Later promoted Air Rear Admiral.
4. CAS – Air Commodore EA Martey – Later promoted Air Vice Marshal
5. COS – Brigadier General FK Mensah – Yawson

The Generals retired were:

1. Lt Gen BK Akafia (CDS) – 3 Star
2. Air Marshal JA Bruce (CAS) – 3 Star
3. Lt Gen JH Smith (Army Commander) – 3 Star
4. Vice Admiral EO Owusu Ansah (CNS) – 3 Star
5. Major General CA Okae (COS) – 2 Star
6. Major General HK Anyidoho (GOC N/Comd) – 2 Star
7. Major General FY Mahama (GOC S/Comd) – 2 Star
8. Major General AK Djangmah (Air Gen Prisons) – 2 Star
9. Major General JP Adda (Chief Fire Officer) – 2 Star
10. Air Vice Marshal B Cole (NDPC) – 2 Star

Thus, it is true as per the statement of the Minister that four (4) Lieutenant Generals and equivalents and six Major Generals and equivalents were retired.

However, the senior most Major General, in the person of then Major General SK Obeng, was appointed the CDS.

Secondly, other Major Generals and equivalents were retained as follows:

1. Rear Admiral JY Adoko – Commandant MATS
2. Major General NC Coleman – Commandant GAFCSC.

Thirdly, all Brigadier Generals and equivalents were retained until they either completed their tour of duty or reached their compulsory retiring ages.

Can Dr. Omane Boamah compare the situation in 2001 to that of President Mahama in all sincerity?

Was then Brigadier General William Agyapong the senior most Brigadier General in the Armed Forces as at 7^th January 2025? Certainly No.

Was then Brigadier General Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu the next senior most Brigadier General even after then Brigadier General William Agyapong? Obviously the answer is NO.

It was only then Commodore Godwin Livinus Bessing (GH/2617) who was closer to the top but not the senior most Commodore in the Ghana Navy as at 7^th January 2025. In fact, Commodores Samuel Walker (GH/2488) and Emmanuel Ayesu Kwafo (GH/2492) were senior to then Commodore GL Bessing.

As a matter of fact, Commodores Samuel Walker and EA Kwafo are of Intake 29 and were promoted Commodores on 28/04/2017 and 10/09/2018 respectively while then Commodore GL Bessing of Intake 32 was promoted Commodore on 11/01/2019.

Can Dr. Omane Boamah compare the Top Echelon of the Ghana Armed Forces in March 2001 under President Kufour to that of March 2025 under President Mahama? The answer is a big No.

The appointments in 2001 were more diversified, based on seniority, competence and merit but not on ethnocentrism and political favouritism as depicted in the appointments made by President Mahama.

General SK Obeng, the CDS, was from the Eastern and Volta Regions (Anum and Ewe)

General CB Yaache, the COAS, was from the Upper West Region (Dagarti)

General FK Mensah-Yawson, was from the Central Region (Fanti)

Rear Admiral J Gbenah, was from the Volta Region (Ewe)

Air Vice Marshal EA Mantey was from the Eastern Region (Akwapim)