I am a Citizen.
I am a Whistle-blower with a known face and address.
I wish to find out from Defence Minister Dominic Nituwul whether Olatunde Derojaiye alias Kwame Dankwah alias Ranger assumes he can threaten me, Owula Mangortey?
As you may be aware, some years ago, Olatunde Derujaiye alias Kwame Dankwa alias Ranger was banned from all Military Barracks in a letter signed by General Oppong-Peprah, the Chief of Staff General Headquarters (as he then was).
Then from March, 2021, ‘Ranger’ started sending me messages bragging about how he has resurfaced in Burma Camp and how he is swimming in money. Of course, I didn’t care a toss whether he walked on his head in Burma Camp or any barracks.
One day, the Today Newspaper published a story with the headline, BURMA CAMP SHIELDS LEBANON GUN SMUGGLERS…As Soldiers sell guns to Public.”
Then, Olatunde Derujaiye alias Kwame Dankwa alias Ranger sent me a message via number +14477878000076 to wit: “I am praying that those guns smuggled by this (SIC) soldiers will be used to kill you and ur family members and ur generation AMEN.”
Since then Ranger has been sending me threatening messages on another phone number 0541222007.
As patient as a crocodile. S I took my time to research the circumstances under which Olatunde Derujaiye alias Kwame Dankwa alias Ranger befriended and brought the down fall of General Ayamdo and General Aditi, and how he befriended and fell out with General Oppong-Peprah. My checks and the threats he sends me suggest he has found a new haven with another General in the Military High Command. I continued to do my checks until one box ticked.
Church Service in honour of former Security Chief, Francis Poku.
Recently, a church service was organised to celebrate the 80th birthday of former Security Minister, Francis Poku. I was there with my colleagues Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Kwesi Pratt Jr and Kweku Baako Jr.
After the Service, I walked up to and introduced myself to a General suspected to be hobnobbing with Olatunde Derujaiye alias Kwame Dankwa alias Ranger.
You can’t believe the reaction of the General when I mentioned my name. He shrank in front of me like a chicken in front of a venomous viper! He walked away so fast I couldn’t believe my eyes.
If he knows his history, the General should know he can’t collude with Kwame Dankwa an Ashanti man from Jaache to threaten me, Owula Mangortey, from Dodowa.
Respect for Dominic Nitiwul
I am addressing this question to Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul because he won my respect last year.
In December, 2020, I run mistakenly into the Minister of Defence at Bimbila. I had arrived in Bimbila from Kpasa in the Oti Region to check on the Military bases at Kpasa and Bimbila, as part of my nation-wide tour to cross-check some reports by the Hon. Nitiwul to the Media on the provision of infrastructure, vehicles and other facilities for the Military Detachments, Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and Barracks.
I noticed that the Hon. Minister of Defence was surprised to see me at Bimbila at that late hour and may be, he was impressed to note that I was investing time, effort and resources to do quality control checks on official (and unofficial) information on military deployments, operations, and the efforts being made by the Defence Ministry and the Military High Command to motivate soldiers to discharge their mandate.
Dominic Nitiwul did not disrespect me in his Bimbila backyard He won my respect.
It is because of the respect I have for the Minister of Defence that I adopted a silent attitude towards Olatunde Derujaiye alias Kwame Dankwa alias Ranger like the attitude of a lazy Tiger unwilling to hunt a baby gazelle!!
Some achievements of Dominic Nitiwul
I am certain the Defence Minister and the Military High Command received reports from their officers and men who noticed my presence at Daboya, Nzilimbo, Bundase, Wa, Banda-Bungase (BUI), Bazua, Bawku, Kpasa, Asutsuare, and other places in the Northern, Central and Southern Commands.
(1). No. 10 and No. 11 Mechanised Battalions in the Northern Command
Military history teaches that the No.10 and No.11 Mechanised Battalion projects had been on the drawing board since 2014. When I visited Wa, I was told how the Defence Ministry had been working on the construction of the Wa Barracks before the political change of government in 2017. However, the construction of the barracks were fast tracked and operationalized by Hon. Dominic Nitiwul.
So, Ghanaians will one day commend Hon. Nitiwul for working hard to establish the two battalions and to some extent providing them with the necessary logistics like vehicles and communication equipments.
I visited the Wa Barracks to see the infrastructure, vehicles and equipment for myself, and went on a drive- and- look tour of parts of the catchment area at Kaleo, Sombo, Nadoli, Lawra, Nandom, Hamile, Gwollu, Nyimati, Bullu, Dulachar, Dasime, Gbele Forest Reserve, Jirapa, Tumu, etc.
Additionally, I visited the No.11 Mechanised Battalion Barracks at Bazua and saw the instructors accommodation, the kitchenette and the ablution unit that had been fastly constructed for the soldiers in the barracks overlooking the White Volta. I went on a drive-and-look tour of parts of the catchment area in Zebilla, Binduri, Bawku, Pusiga, Polimakom, Garu, Tempane, and up the Gambaga scarp to Nankpanduri.
History will be kind to Dominic Nitiwul for fixing his sights tightly on the security challenges, especially terrorism, along Ghana’s northern borders.
(2). The Daboya Army Recruitment and Training School
Under the direction of Dominic Nitiwul, the ARMY established the Daboya Recruitment and Training School, and constructed lecture sheds and 150 units accommodation facility for the soldiers, and provided lecture room furniture and IT equipment to support training.
(3). Bundase Training School (BTC)
I noted some of the impressive construction projects at BTC, such as the auditorium, the enhanced parade stands, the 2×100 and 2×50 bed accommodation, the furnishing of the conference and operations room, the kitchen equipment and the repaired faulty Genset.
(4). Other notable ARMY projects
I was pleased to note some of the following projects:
(a). The completed Offficers Transit Quarters at Central Command.
(b). The squad sheds at Armour Training School.
(c). The enhanced parade shed at Arakan barracks.
(d). The renovated Northern Command Armoury.
(e). The extension of young soldiers accommodation at 48 Engineers Regiment.
(f). The renovation of the Jubilee House barracks.
(g). The Construction of car parking ports for Directors and Staff of the Army General Headquarters.
(h). Even though some projects predate Dominic Nitiwul’s Appointment, I had noted in my diary some projects undertaken by the ARMY, such as the construction of an Olympic size swimming pool, two sets of accommodation at Gonda Barracks, asphalting of the Southern Command Square and roads, and rewalling of the Southern Command land.
(5). Provision, Maintenance and Refurbishment of Army Vehicles
In comparison to other Security Agencies, I noted that the Ghana ARMY uses vehicles that look tidy, well maintained and nicely sprayed.
Over the pasts years under Dominic Nitiwul, the ARMY has increased the tempo of their maintenance culture as demonstrated by these activities undertaken on the nicely refurbished vehicles they beautifully line up for inspection:
(a). Repairs of Field Kitchen Vehicles.
(b). Spraying of Command and Units “Operation Calm” Life vehicles.
(c). Repairs of four (4) Steyr trucks.
(d). Repair of a VW bus at the Army Headquarters
(e). Repairs of Ashok Leyland Troops Carrying Vehicles (TCVs).
(f). Repair of Sgt. Major of the Army (SMA)’s
official vehicle.
(g). Repair of vehicle for No.3 Ordinance Field Company.
(h). Repair of vehicle for No.6 Signal Squadron.
(i). Repair of Director of Army Legal Affairs
(DALA)’s official vehicle.
(j). Spraying of Army Headquarters vehicles including vehicles of Directors.
(k). Repairs and spraying of all Africa Contigency Operations Training Assistance (ACOTA) vehicles.
(6). Provision of Equipment and Fittings
(a). The Army purchased office equipment for all Command and Units (in the UNIFIL purchases).
(b). It purchased all-in-one Computers for General Officer Commanding
(GOCs) and Directors for videoconferencing.
(c). It purchased and installed air conditioners for the Teshie Army Training Command (ATRAC) Simulation Centre and industrial photocopiers for the Army Combat Training School (ACTS).
(d). It purchased drones and No.1 Working Dress for all Cadets.
After the publication of this article, I will patiently wait to read the reactions of the Ghana Army in either confirming or denying my notes and observations of the achievements of Dominic Nitiwul.
My interest in Military Affairs is in how the Ghana Army will continue to be motivated, dedicated and remain professional to perform its constitutional remit for the overall peace, progress and prosperity of Ghana.
So, how can we achieve consensus to enhance building of a professional, respected, strong, resilient and adaptable Army to play its part in overcoming the myriad National Security challenges, including terrorism, the nation faces?
The Akans of Ghana have a saying: *wu tan okwaduo na wua yi ni miraka,* which literally translates as, you can hate the hare but you can’t downplay its speed.
So, even though I am not a fan of some Ministers in the current Akufo-Addo government, I am obliged as a Whistle-blower to acknowledge the truth in the above-quoted Akan proverb to state truthfully what I found and noted as the achievements of the ARMY under Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul.
I have been determined to go beyond standard performance and make my articles on the ARMY outstanding. I understood quite early that the only way I could do that was by enlisting the whole ARMY in the cause. I had to make the Minister of Defence, the CDS, the COAS, Directors, Officers and Other Ranks take ownership of the ARMY’s mission, and persuade them to cooperate and work together rather than compete with one another in watertight silos.
With the benefit of time and my exposure to the experiences of other Writers, I shifted focus from writing only on the grievances of Junior Ranks against their Officers, Commander and Minister, to looking at the ARMY as a unit. In my opinion, the ARMY is like a vessel that belongs to and depends on every member of the crew, and it is also part of a fleet of vessels of the GAF apparatus with a larger mission which the whole crew must own.
In my respectful view, excellence in the ARMY is not an abstract slogan. A great Minister defines excellence and then inspires his team to exceed it by encouraging creativity and innovative practices. Dominic Nitiwul’s record is proof.
Since time immemorial, our Defence Ministers like ships, LEAVE A WAKE BEHIND THEM. All eyes of the President and Commander-in-Chief, subordinates, colleagues at the Ministry, the Military High Command, and the people of Ghana are on them.
For the Officers and other ranks under the Minister, everything he does, no matter how little and insignificant, is taken as a signal, and his soldiers and civilian staff follow his examples. No matter what he does, the true quality of his leadership is measured by the example he sets.
I have some biases against Dominic Nitiwil, especially in his explanations in Parliament on the need for a multi-purpose aircraft for the GAF.
But, hey, I have gone through the country and I have noted the security challenges especially threat of terrorism, and I have noted the sacrifices and efforts of the Army under Dominic Nitiwul to execute its constitutional mandate and to endear the Army to Ghanaians and the International Community.
As a critic of the ARMY, I believe I stand on a good ground to recommend to Ghanaians to salute and appreciate Dominic Nitiwul.
Nevertheless, Dominic Nitiwul must know that the threat from the General and his side-kick, Olatunde Derujaiye alias Kwame Dankwa alias Ranger will not be taken as a mere joke.
No General can hide behind an Ashanti man from Jaache to threaten me Owula Mangortey from Dodowa.
They say they are praying my family members and my generation are killed “by those guns smuggled by this (SIC) soldiers who sell to armed robbers.”
We are waiting to be murdered!!!
Owula Mangortey
15th December 2021
Note:
Owula Mangortey appears on Fridays (8.30-10.00) on #asaasebreakfastshow @AsaaseRadio 99.5 FM