Castle Security In Tears Over Cash

Presidential Security guards are grumbling and fuming with rage over alleged shabby treatment from superior officers, calling for the removal of some security chiefs at the seat of government before the unexpected happens.

“The Presidential security guards are given meager allowances. There are sometimes no cars to even pick officers to work because drivers complain there is no fuel. Officers do not have adequate communication equipment whilst superiors distribute walkie-talkies to girlfriends to show-boat and all these are affected the morale of officers,” Castle source close to the security guards told Daily Guide.

Lt. Col. Atachie, Military Assistant (MA) to the Chief of Staff; Lt. Col. Tanye, Presidential Security Coordinator, and Angola, Head of Counter Intelligence, have been particularly fingered for allegedly frustrating and demoralizing all the hardworking security officers who are risking their lives to ensure the safety of the President and the presidency.

“These people are making President Mills look wicked in the eyes of Presidential Security Guards; but some of us have worked with the President from the time he was the Vice-President and we know he is a good person,” Castle sources stated, pleading that something should be done immediately to raise the morale of officers.

According to information gathered, police officers who are part of the Presidential security detail are grumbling and regretting being part of the Castle security as their colleagues elsewhere feel they are enjoying all the perks from the Presidency.

However, contrary to the perceived insensitivity of some superiors, ASP Adade and Mr Balo, personal bodyguard of President Mills and Commander of Close Escort respectively, have been exceptionally praised for their care for the security officers. “These people are caring, compassionate and they actually solve problems of presidential guards, using monies from their own pockets,” an aggrieved security man said.

Daily Guide learnt that the guards, mostly hit by poor motivation, are the black-suited and sun-shade wearing officers in the Presidential Escort and Counter Intelligence units. The reports indicate that the officers who accompanied President John Atta Mills to the Farmers Day Celebration in the Northern Regional capital, Tamale, in December last year, were given a paltry GH¢5 each as their per diem for almost a week in the north, which according to close associates of the security guards, is an affront to the invaluable sacrifices the officers are making to the state.

It was also learnt that the Muslims among the security guards were each given 5 kg bag of rice and a fowl, which cost about GH¢30, to celebrate the Islamic Eid festivities although Presidential spokesperson, Mahama Ayariga, had asked for the release of GH¢7,000, out of which each Muslim was supposed to receive goodies worth more than GH¢100.

Some police officers in the group, Daily Guide was told, refused to take the mini bag rice and the fowls, describing the gifts as a betrayal of their unquestioned loyalty o the presidency, with only the military officers receiving the pittance for fear of being charged for mutiny.

The Presidential Guards, Daily Guide was further told, did not understand why the office of the National Security had overspent its budget of 2009 and yet security officers were not financially motivated, questioning what the huge expenditures were made on.

A document comprising expenditure returns for the period January to September 2009, prepared by the Office of Government Machinery (OGM), indicted that the office of National Security apparently exceeded its budget by over GH¢7million.