I am a Citizen.
Periodically, I research and write on Military and National Security Affairs.
As a Patriot, while rooting for the best professional practices for the Military and other National Security Agencies, I am conscious of any danger or harm to the Military and State Security.
So, I endeavour to restrain myself from publishing very vital sensitive Military/ National Security Secrets because of the presence of miscreants, bandits and terrorists and their quislings pwithin and outside the country.
In recent times, I have been surprised to notice writeups on Social Media authored by one Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd).
I have been bemused because I have never expected a serving or retired COLONEL of the Ghana Armed Forces to publish the sort of leaks from the barracks which in my respectful view put our professional SOLDIERS in harm’s way, and compromise Military and State Security.
It is adviseable for the current and any future Military High Command to get its grips on the perchant for leaks of military secrets, and in some cases blatant lies and falsehoods that voluntarily come from the Military establishment.
I agree that the Military is not an island; and serving and retired Military Personnel have families, prelatives and friends in society who may not be happy with the allegations of the unprofessional conduct of some officers and men who have sworn oaths to defend our country.
However, the Military should have its own system of checks and balances and for grievance resolution.
Seriously, I get bewildered by the quantum of Military Secrets available to me an ordinary Citizen.
I cringe!!!
And I wonder whether there is any LOYALTY among the Officers and Men of the Ghana Armed Forces. Argh!!!
Sometimes, I am inclined to think that Fela Onikulapo Kuti was right with his lyrics in ZOMBIE:
“Zombie no dey think, unless they think for am.”
And you have a so-called retired Officer of the Ghana Armed Forces, one Colonel Morkeh Korsah also publishing leaks from Sources and Agents in the barracks for the consumption of gullible civilians dieing to slurp any information to satisfy their parochial interests.
A COLONEL? Argh!!!
And Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd) does not seem aware that his name does not pop up from the records of the Military and the Veterans Association of Ghana (VAG)?
Recently, I noted two widely circulated alerts from Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd):
(1). Publication of names of some soldiers from 4 BN, and number plates of some military vehicles which he described as part of a “KILLING SQUAD” currently in a SECRET location in Accra to train and lead NPP VIGILANTES… the vehicles they are using to operate around the AIRPORT RESIDENTIAL AREA.”
Incredulous. Unbelievable.
Wait a minute for an interrogation.
Do you a retired Colonel of the Ghana Armed Forces seriously want the Citizens of Ghana to believe that a “Killing squad” of soldiers is stupidly driving around in vehicles with military licenced plates at a secret location at the Airport Residential Area of all places, which is full of CCTV cameras installed in many residences owned by the rich and affluent? Argh!!
Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd), please, in this game, you need to have the expertise to do quality control checks on the leaks from your Sources and Agents. Otherwise, you will find yourself auditioning for recklessness, danger, failure and shame.
You need to invest time, resources and patience to check the information you receive before you publish.
You might have heard that the Military High Command established two battalions at Wa and Bawku, and that they recently screened 1780 recruits who after training will be posted to those barracks?
You know what I did? I went all the way to check on the existence of the Barracks at Wa and Bawku.
Actually, the Military High Command has to make the Citizens aware that one of the barracks was intially at Bawku. But it has now been moved to its permanent location at Bazua in the Binduri District, about 3km from the White Volta river.
I repeat to you, Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd). You need time, resources and patience to do quality control checks on any information provided by your Sources and Agents.
I am certain that as a retired Colonel, you would have noted the forward thinking measures taken by your former colleagues in the Military High Command to form the QUICK RESPONSE FORCES (QRFs) and strategically located them at vantage points for rapid response to attacks by Terrorists/Bandits on the Accra Mall and other Shopping Centres on the Spinstex Road, the Kotoka International Airport, the Jubilee or Flagstaff House, and other places.
If you had done your checks you would have noted that S/SGT Kpebah, S/SGT Tonku, S/SGT Baah Kwabena, S/SGT Akwaful, CPL Otu Amoah are professional soldiers from Kumasi 4 BN called up by Command to join the QRFs.
By the way, may I find out Pfrom the Military High Command why since the establishment of the QRFs in 2017, no soldiers from 4 BN had been called up to join their other colleagues?
(2). The publication that some AKYEM SAKAWA BRIGADE (ASB) is rolling into full steam.
Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd), you need lots of credibility and believability to write on Military Affairs and not get harassed, arrested, detained, sued and shot.
If you want the Political Elite, the Military High Command and the Citizens to rely on the information you churn out, you will respectfully need to avoid such politically jaundiced publication of troops movements.
Allow gullible persons who are hungry to consume lies and falsehood to satisfy their parochial interests to peddle some of the lies about troop movements in certain parts of the country.
But, I found it strange that as a retired Colonel of the Ghana Armed Forces you published tactical troop movements in the Volta and Oti Regions and gave it a parochial political slant.
What will you say about the rapid deployment of troops in the Upper West Region to contain the infiltration into the GBELE FOREST RESERVE by a cocktail of Ivorian and Burkinabe political, military, terrorist, bandit runaways?
Were those troop movements also for election related purposes?
Again, you know what I have done? I have driven all the wat from Odumase Dodows to do quick checks in Wechau, Wa, Kaleo, Nadowli, Lawra, Nandon, Jirapa, Hamile, Gwolu, Tumu, Puloma, Kuntulo, Jefisi, Hian, Bussie, Fian, Naro, Jang, Sagu, and Kperisi, to understand whether those troops movements in the Upper West Region were for political considerations.
As for the upcoming December 7 election, it is in the interest of the Military High Command, all Officers and Men to collaborate with other Security Agencies to ensure an impartial, free and fair opportunity for all Citizens to cast their ballots and for the winners to be declared.
Indeed, it is in the interest of professional soldiers and their professional counterparts in the allied security services to develop a zero- tolerance for the activities of miscreants parading as Political Vigilantes to cause violence and spread any form of fear and panic.
May the Military High Command be reminded that the upcoming election is also a referendum on the professionalism of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Citizens will not accept and tolerate a repetition of the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-election debacle!
Finally, I hope Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd) will do well to re-establish and reinforce in my mind the respect and admiration I have for COLONELS of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Historically, my admiration for Colonels began when General Acheampong became Head of State when he was a Colonel.
Most of his Commissioners (Ministers) were all Colonels.
In those days, Brigade Commanders were Colonels
In some instances the Army Commanders were also Colonels.
My favourite COLONEL was Colonel Dawuni, the Central Regional Commissioner during my early days in Adisadel College, Cape- Coast.
I used to struggle hard to be included in the Adisadel College contigent that marched at the Siwudu Park on the 6th March independence anniversaries.
It was nice to march past the dias and seeing a very handsome and nicely attired Colonel Dawuni taking the salute.
The nicest part was the joy of becoming the school that came first in the marching competition, and going for the coveted trophy, and having the indescribable thrills of getting a handshake from the MOST BEAUTIFUL LADY I HAD EVER SEEN: The beautiful, lovely, elegant, and graceful wife of Colonel Dawuni. Wow!
I tell you, Colonel Dawuni’s wife was beautiful.
Since I started writing on Military Affairs, my respect and admiration for COLONELS was reinforced when I noted that COLONELS are very senior in Ranks.
In recent times, Colonels serve as Deputies to Brigadier-Generals because of the expansion of the Armed Forces in view of population growth.
Additionally, I realised that a Colonel is normally a Director at the Service Headquarters and General Headquarters. In any of the training institutions, a Colonel may be a Chief Instructor.
I noted also how a Colonel in most cases serves as a Senior Staff Officer to a Commander, and in a few cases as an Advisor.
So, certainly, a Colonel should be knowledgeable and must have the penchant to critically analyze issues for his Commander to make informed decisions.
From the foregoing, it stands to reason that Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd) should be or should have been an Officer with quality, value, valour and loyalty.
That Colonel Morkeh Korsah is also engaged in publshing leaks of Military Secrets, some of which my quality control checks reveal are half-truths, blatant lies and falsehoods, is unbecoming of a SOLDIER (once a soldier, always a soldier or)?
I repeat.
Colonel Morkeh Korsah (Rtd): Don’t you realise you are becoming a danger to yourself, our Soldiers, Military and State Security?
I Shall Return.
Owula Mangortey
Point Blank Guest House
Lawra
17th November, 2020