Vice Admiral Amoama: Armed robbers murdering two Upper East Policemen is a blot on the character of your Ghana Armed Forces

My brother Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, on 13th December, 2021, I asked a simple question: Are sure you have the military personnel to counter a terrorist attack in the Upper East Region today?

You chose to remain silent, and not make any attempt to find out why I asked that question.

Then, the guns rang out at Zuarungu, kpoowaaaaa!!! Two days later, on 15th December, 2021, two audacious armed men robbed a shop and murdered two Police men, some few kilometers from Zaare-Bolgatanga where your GAF has a base.

For those of you in the Military who are mature in Inteligence Analysis, I wish to prick your imagination that the murder of the two Policemen is likely to be a DECOY begging for analysis, taking in consideration the security dynamics of the region and across its borders— the Bawku crisis, the Doba and Kaniga conflict, the Bolgatanga Chieftaincy problem, terrorists operating some ten (10) to twenty (20) kilometers close to the Burkina Faso-Ghana border.

My brother Vice Admiral Amoama, your Minister, Hon. Dominic Nitiwul, your predecessor CDS, Lt. General Akwa, your COAS, Major-General Oppong-Peprah, and your GAF PR Department’s Colonel Aggrey- Quarshie, know that when I decide to write on the Ghana Armed Forces, I go all out.

I have a readiness to write plainly, challenge old structures and question comfortable assumptions, especially when a lack of imagination leads to security failure.

Impact of Peace Keeping Operations in Central Africa Republic

To think that you are exporting soldiers on Peace Keeping duties to Central Africa Republic to earn foreign exchange, and leaving what is becoming a clear gap in Upper East for criminals to take advantage of, is with respect, repugnant and reprehensible, to say the least.

My dear Vice Admiral Amoama, Section 8(2)(a) of the Ghana Armed Forces Act 1962, Act 105, charges you with “the responsibility of administration of the Ghana Armed Forces as a whole.”

By the powers conferred on you, may I know what advice you gave your Commander-in-Chief and your Minister of Defence which enables Ghana to answer to the urgent request of the UN Secretary General for troops for Peace Keeping Operations in the Central Africa Republic?

Sir, Is the implementation of your advice resulting in a deficit in personnel and equipments in the Upper East Region?

Why did you send troops from Tamale to Bawku

You have the No.11 Mechanised Battalion Barracks at Bazua and Military presence at Bolgatanga, Mognori and Polimakom.

For what operational and tactical reasons did you send a platoon each from Tamale ABF and 6Bn to reinforce security at Bawku?

May be, you assume criminals do not read in between the lines, gather and analyse information in order to strike at your weakest links.

Of all the Security forces in that small-sized Upper East Region, the Ghana Armed Forces have better trained, better equipped and better resourced Intelligence Officers. And you sat there and two personel from your sister security organization to be murdered some few kilometers from your Bolgatanga base. I cringe.

Bolgatanga Operation Calm Life

Do you have “Operation Calm Life” in Bolgatanga and its environs?

A few months ago, I was in Bolgatanga, and I wrote suggesting the establishment of a joint Military/Police patrol in Bolgatanga Central and its environs. I guess when I write you brush it aside.

Photoshooting Soldiers

When your Commander-in-Chief visited Bolgatanga on 12th September, 2021, the public was surprised to notice an unprofessional conduct of some of your soldiers.

Whilst the Police were eagle-eyed and focused on providing security for President Akufo-Addo and his entourage and also for the Bar Association delegates, your soldiers were lackadaisical and interested in taking pictures of themselves in and around the military tank stationed near the venue of the conference, which was Rev Eastwood Anaba’s Church. Criminals also take note of such occurrences.

Smuggling of cyanide into Bawku during curfew hours.

On 1st December, 2021, some fifty (50) mini drums of cyanide were smuggled into Bawku during curfew hours.

When I did my checks, I found that the consignment of cyanide which was hidden among some goods in a big truck number BF 2797 D8 O3, travelled from Cinkase, Togo, and passed through Polimakom.

Strangely, the Ghana Armed Forces Forward Operating Base (FOB) is located very close to the Polimakom border post. And you have a vehicle which patrols the 27 km Polimakom to Missiga road.

My brother Seth Amoama, so, under what circumstances did dangerous cyanide get smuggled into Bawku during curfew hours under the watchful eyes of your Polimakom FOB?

Security Implications of Ghana Immigration Staff without Appointment Cards

Your well-trained GAF personnel have been engaged in “Operatiom Conquered Fist” counter-terrorism operations with NIB, FPU, and GIS personnel. Some GIS staff do not have appointment cards. So, how are your experienced GAF CTU members able to identify the GIS staff who have no identification cards?

Sir, you must know the implications if the GIS is infiltrated by terrorists in GIS uniforms, and the rippling effect on Counter-Terorism Operations.

It had to take the risk to write an article to draw the attention of my brother from Nakoligo, Hon. Ambrose Dere, to the anomaly, before GIS Management sent officials to the field to go through the processes of issuing appointment cards to their staff.

My brother, I wish to share with you the following messages from GIS staff which underscore the dangers to your Counter-Terrorism Operations from a dangerous issue of GIS Staff not having appointment cards:

“I am glad to inform you that, your article you wrote about GIS has been given positive attention, teams were deployed all over the country to do our service ID cards for us, i have just received my own today.”

“Those who doesn’t (sic) have ID cards are more than those having.”

“I remember very well that they went round to do them for officers but when we apply they left without coming back.That was 2012 and 2016.”

“More than half of Immigration service officers don’t have ID cards.Because of that individuals are doing fake ID cards for GHC 300.”

In the matter of the GIS appointment cards, I fault the Ghana Armed Forces because your men are well trained to uncover such a simple but dangerous lapse which could compromise your counter-terrorism operations in the Upper East Region. To whom much is given, much is expected, Sir.

Criminals also gather Information

My brother Seth Amoama, criminals also gather “Intelligence,” however crude the methods they use to gather and analyse them.

There is an old saying, every one has a plan until they get punched in the face. With all your plans, criminals were audacious enough to punch you in the face by murdering two Policemen at Zuarungu.

Why did the criminals have the audacity to slaughter two Police men in the region? Was it because they knew the GAF could not do foko (as is said in local palance).

Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, I repeat: The killing of two Policemen in the Upper East Region is a dangerous blot on the character of your Ghana Armed Forces in the region.

How will the Ghana Armed Forces react?

I shall return.

Owula Mangortey
19th December, 2021

Note:
Owula Mangortey appears on Fridays (8:00-10:00) on #asaasebreakfastshow @AsaaseRadio 99.5 FM