Conflict and Security analyst, Colonel Festus Boahen Aboagye (Rtd), has said it is not the responsibility of the military to provide security for citizens during elections.
The security analyst’s comment follows calls by a section of the public who suggested that a new hierarchy of the military administration which dues in 2024 should have been made in 2023 to help them settle well in their positions before the 2024 elections.
He was reacting to the Presidency’s response to a circular on social media last year which suggested the President wants to make changes in the leadership of the Ghana Army to terrorise people for their advantage.
Whilst describing the move by the presidency as unnecessary, Col. Aboagye said those who suggested the changes should have come earlier to ground the new leadership for the elections got it wrong since the military has no business with election security.
The former Chief Executive Officer of the African Peace Support Trainers Association (APSTA) Secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya, indicated that such calls create a political culture which breeds problem for the state when it comes to solving them.
“…And that’s why the circulation started late last year to the extent that we’ve been arguing, some people, which I don’t support, if the changes are going to take place then they should take place last year, so that the new appointees will settle down in their offices in order to provide security during the elections. I said I don’t subscribe to that because the military has no role in election security. And once again we are creating a political culture where we create a problem and then we turn around to use the military to solve the problem and in so doing, we compound and complicate the problem,” he told Alfred Ocansey on Ghana Tonight Thursday, December 04, 2024.
Background
The Office of the President denied allegations that the presidency intends to make changes in the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces to infiltrate it with persons aligned to the NPP to perpetuate its agenda in the December 7 polls.
The Presidency says even though there has been a meeting, however, it is an annual ritual the President does with the security agencies at the beginning of each year, and has nothing to do with terrorising people in the December polls as being speculated.
In a statement issued Thursday, January 04, 2024, and signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, it said the meeting did not have an agenda to use the military to brutalise citizens in the December elections to have their way.
The statement asked the public to treat the matter with the contempt it deserves.
“The Office of the President has taken note of a publication on social media alleging a deliberate attempt by the Presidency to orchestrate politically motivated changes within
the hierarchy of the Armed Forces, with the sole aim of using the Military to brutalise
citizens during the conduct of the December 7 general elections.
“The publication alleges further that a meeting was held at the Presidency on Tuesday,
2nd January 2024, to discuss the so-called politically-motivated changes in the Ghana
Armed Forces.
“Indeed, the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, held a meeting with Heads of Security agencies at Jubilee House on 2nd January 2024, a meeting which has become an annual feature on the President’s calendar at the beginning of the New Year.
“At these meetings, the Heads of Security agencies call on the President to offer him their best wishes for the coming year, with the President also using the opportunity to express his appreciation to them for their continued commitment to safeguarding the peace and stability of the nation. Contrary to the allegations made in the publication on social media, no such discussions about changes to the hierarchy of the Armed Forces were held during the meeting,” the statement explained in detail.
The statement further indicated that any changes that occur in the military is in accordance with the constitution and has no political connotations as being speculated.
“It is imperative to note that a change in the leadership of the Armed Forces is embarked upon by the President in accordance with the Constitution and well-established conventions, devoid of any political considerations. Any future change made in this regard will not be a new phenomenon that should warrant unfounded speculations,” he noted.
The statement concluded that “in the interest of safeguarding the peace and stability of Ghana, the public is urged to disregard such unfounded speculations and publications aimed at triggering agitations within the rank and file of the Armed Forces.”
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