The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is facing intense scrutiny for its conspicuous silence regarding accusations leveled against one of its senior officers, Brigadier General Michael Opoku, who serves as the General Officer Commanding of the Central Command.
Security analyst Colonel Festus Aboagye has expressed profound shock at the lack of response from the country’s primary security agency, following a series of allegations made by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) against the officer in question.
Despite being explicitly named almost a week ago, Brigadier General Opoku has remained silent on the accusations. In a recent appearance on Channel One television in Accra, the retired army officer highlighted the critical importance of GAF investigating the NDC’s claims.
He emphasized that both the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and relevant government entities, including the National Security and the Ministry of the Interior, have failed to address these serious allegations.
“The state has a responsibility to thoroughly investigate any allegations made by individuals or institutions. Days have passed since the NDC accused a senior officer of storing weapons and ballot papers and colluding with a political party to manipulate the upcoming elections,”
Colonel Aboagye stated. He also raised concerns about the potential ramifications of the silence from GAF and other authorities, suggesting that such inaction could fuel distrust and suspicions of political interference in Ghana’s democratic processes.
Colonel Aboagye referenced past instances of political involvement in elections and urged the government to demonstrate its commitment to transparency by addressing these allegations promptly.
The embattled officer, Brigadier General Opoku, had previously been involved in the controversial Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency by-election, where violence erupted, attributed to masked individuals affiliated with the national security and operating under the guise of SWAT.
Despite recommendations for disciplinary action following the incident, Brigadier General Opoku was only reassigned to the army from national security and later promoted to his current position.
During a press conference held on November 19, the NDC’s National Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, alleged that Brigadier General Opoku had been directed by President Akufo-Addo and the government to facilitate election fraud in favor of the NPP.
Gyamfi further claimed that the officer was training NPP supporters at a military facility to carry out illicit activities to influence the election outcome.
As concerns mount over the integrity of the electoral process and the potential implications of these allegations, stakeholders await a response from the Ghana Armed Forces and other relevant authorities to address the gravity of the situation and uphold democratic principles in the country.
Source: Whatsupnewsghana