The Herald, has picked up a disturbing report on the frosty relationship between the Chief of Defence (CDS), Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah and the Army Commander, Major General Bismarck Kwasi Onwona.
The two, had been fighting over many things in recent times, including accommodation, peacekeeping money, promotions and appointments.
Lt. Gen. Oppong-Peprah, who handed over the Army Command to Maj. Gen. Onwona, a former ADC to President Nana Akufo-Addo, is accused of interfering in the day-to-day running of the Army wing of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The CDS, has refused to vacate the official residence of the Army Commander; Number 2 Roman Ridge for Maj. Gen. Onwona, leaving him perching in an accommodation meant for Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels at Juba Villas, Burma Camp – Accra.
But the more serious allegation circulating in the GAF is that, Lt. Gen. Oppong-Peprah and Maj. Gen. Onwona, are haggling over the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping money with a report that there is a US$1.2 million cash in the coffers of the Army, which Lt. Gen. Oppong-Peprah, doesn’t want to let go of.
The CDS, wants the money split into two and given a portion, something the equally powerful Army Commander, is not ready to cede to, because aside from the US$1.2 million in the coffers of the Army, there is also a debt of US$4 million, which was inherited by the Army Commander and worried about.
The money is meant to purchase uniforms and other logistics for the soldiers to work with while on UN Missions, and there appears to be no end in sight over when the two will let go of their stances, particularly the CDS.
On the accommodation claim, The Herald’s information is that, there is confusion over where to house the Army Commander, as the CDS, has refused to move from the designated residence of the Army Commander by moving to Number 1 Roman Ridge, the CDS’s official residence.
There are claims that some residential properties at Roman Ridge – Accra, belonging to the GAF, have been sold out to private developers who are yet to honour their promise to put up houses for senior military officers.
The Army Commander, is affected by the strange and murky transactions between the military and the private companies, because the CDS who spearheaded the transactions with the private real estate developers, has no place to go since his official residence is affected too.
Interestingly, The Herald is informed that, the CDS’s residence was only recently renovated upon the departure of Lt. Gen. Obed Boamah Akwa, for his successor Vice Admiral Seth Amoama to occupy.
Reports are that the building has since been handed over to the private developer, after the land on which it sits was given out in a land-for-building deal which had also seen military accommodations at the Rangoon Close in Cantonments – Accra also handed over to Kwaku Bediako’s GoldKey; a real estate developer.
Insiders are arguing that, they are aware of the CDS’s plush AU Village property, and are advising him to relocate there and vacate the Army Commander’s official residence for Maj. Gen. Onwona, who is also currently denying another officer the occupancy of his assigned official residence.
In the area of promotion and appointments, the two officers are reported to have in the past been behind which officer stays or is sent home by getting their preferred list of officers to the President for retirement or appointments of officers. This is said to have happened mostly after the Armed Forces Council debate and decision.
Things are said to have gone bad between them, and the Army Commander want to be in charge, but the CDS, is not ready to hand over to him fully, hence the tension between them.
Yesterday, one Owula Mangortey, a known hireling of the CDS, attempted to draw the President’s attention to the frosty relationship between the two senior Army officers, but pulled in National Security Secretariat into the fray.
Many insiders say Mangotey’s write-up was instigated by the CDS, who wants to have tête-a-tête with President Akufo-Addo and report his former ADC to him, but not getting his way through.
Owula Mangortey had written that….is published below;
Owula Mangortey writes from afar to 2024 Presidential Candidates John Mahama and Mahamudu Bawumia….
The Ghana Military is the thin thread that holds our PANT from falling off to expose our fragile national stability and security!
As we prepare for the December 7 election, every effort must be made to ensure that the Ghana Military continues to focus on its core mandate of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation.
Your Excellencies the leading Presidential Candidates, I wish to bring to your attention that my reliable sources at the Jubilee House speak alarmingly of a spill of bad blood between the new Chief of Army Staff and the new Chief of Defence Staff, with grave consequences for our national security and stability.
Worst is the alarming whisper from my sources that the top echelon of the National Security Ministry cannot agree on the proper coordination and integration of plans and policies for our national stability and security.
From my base in Bawku, I respectfully call on Presidential Candidates John Mahama and Mahamudu Bawumia to scream loudly to alert President Akufo-Addo – the Commander-In-Chief and Chairman of the National Security Council – to stamp his authority to stop what appears to be the childish nonsense among the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces and the National Security Secretariat. Otherwise…
A word to the wise is in the North.
I shall return!
Owula Mangortey
Bawku
30th July 2024
More to come!
