Opinions of Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Columnist: Prah, Prince
I have tried and don’t want to write about how the military has been politicized under Defence Minister, General Smith and his sidekicks and his role in the release of Col Damoah but he and his puddles keep providing me the opportunity and I will take a swipe at them for once.
I get sick anytime I hear Lt General Smith, in his usual rantings say the media should not politicize the military, the fact is that the military is already politicized and this is not the fault of the media.
How did he become a Lieutenant General, what about the man noted for stealing food items such as tubers of yams and fowls and also fighting over food with Other Ranks become a Major General, I mean Koku’s father. Were they not promoted kokufully by Jerry Rawlings?
Does he remember what Gen Akafia’s girlfriend who is still in the service did to him in 2000 and how he virtually turned into a taxi driver picking up ‘somebody’ from lectures at the Ghana Law School and dropping the person at Police Hospital, he should remember if he has forgotten so soon.
He is a decorated Minister of Defence but those in control of the Armed Forces are the hawks in the P/NDC gravitating around ex-president Rawlings, Lt. Col. A.K Gbevlo-Lartey, General Arnold Quainoo and glutton Anyidohu.
Ever since he assumed office there has been every indication that he would continue with the tradition of chasing down his ‘enemies’ real and imagined, for retribution.
A typical case is that of Colonel Kwadwo Damoah, former Director, Manpower/Personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces, who has been discharged after he was told that his services would no longer be needed.
For all intents and purposes, the Army, under the political direction of the NDC government and General Smith was intent on releasing him from the Ghana Armed Forces, true to reports over several weeks that plans were afoot to get rid of him from the army.
Interestingly, the exit of the nation’s most popular soldier currently has nothing to do with the bogus Board of Enquiry (BOI) that was specifically set up a few months ago ostensibly to nail him over the recruitment procedures into the Armed Forces which saw Col Musah being rewarded as our Defence Adviser to London for the dirty work he did and he could not hide his happiness when I called him the day I heard the news.
Instead, the Military Command said it had decided to sacrifice him because the media had written stories about him which embarrassed the military!
What is the Military Command doing to the soldiers who unleashed terror on the people of Oda and those who allowed drivers and mates to kiss dead bodies…is that one embarrassing or not?
I pity Col Nibo a lot because whilst his colleagues are looking for promotion he is happy at one office when even his subordinates have moved on to better things and he says communicating with the media is an offence, he should tell that to the thief at the castle who calls panelist on radio stations to tone down their criticisms because the tortoise government of Associate Professor John Mills is young.
Who is the one calling serial callers of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and briefing them on issues affecting the military from Col Nibo’s office?
The release of Damoah, a career soldier from the Armed Forces for no specified crime, was shocking and would completely undermine the morale fiber of the Army and completely cow his fellow officers and men.
Another puddle in the person of Major General Adinkra, the Army Commander, who bowed to pressure from this misfit Minister, had to release him by stating that Damoah is not advantageously employable in his present rank, ridiculous.
Who called S.M Adams, the Acting Military Secretary to draft the release letter when he was sick and on his bed? Who is also behind the text messages going round?
Take a look at his sidekicks in the person of one pound Dovlo, the incompetent and worse Director of Public Relations in the person of Col Nibo, the chief thief of imported cars, Lt Col Attachie and Col PK Senchim who helped his former boss, church elder Odotei undermined Gen JB Danquah but could not get the slot of CDS because our living God is not Ewe do not march the quality of Col Damoah who is not only a chartered Accountant but also a member of the Bar. With this background what is the basis of the claim that he is not employable…Hmmm!
What is the old man, Col V Gamor who is past 60 years doing in the service? Air Vice Marshal one pound Dolvo should come out and tell the whole nation his performance at his former post and his current one.
With this Damoah is gone and the powers that be would be going after other officers in the army because of their perceived political affiliation, an unacceptable situation.
Source: Prince Prah
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