Ghana Armed Forces replies IDEG boss over coup comment

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has reacted to an assertion by the Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, that there is a threat of a military overthrow in Ghana, especially if the pending general election turns violent.

The military, in a press release copied to GhanaWeb, rejected the claim that its personnel assisting the Ghana Police Service in the event of violence during the elections amounts to a military overthrow.

It pointed out that it would only assist the Ghana Police Service which is in charge of security during elections if the police call on it.

“Dr Akwetey is alleged to have said GAF has threatened to take over control of the country if elections in the country turn out violent beyond the control of the Ghana Police Service at press conferences held in 2016 and 2020. We wish to draw the attention of the public that GAF will only support the Ghana Police when the latter requests assistance and that does not constitute an overthrow of a government," part of the release which was issued by Brigadier General E. Aggrey-Quashie, the Director General Public Relations of GFA on August 23, 2024, reads.

The army also refuted the assertion that it has publicly stated that it would take control of the country in the event that elections in the country turn violent.

“The allegation by Dr Akwetey cannot be true because the Ghana Armed Forces has not held any press conference at which it declared its intention to take over the country.”

It added that it “has no intention to stage a coup and will prevent and resist any individual, group or organisation seeking to take over unlawfully the power of government either acting alone or in collaboration with any security agency.”

GAF urged the public to desist from using its name to heighten political tension in the country as the 2024 polls draw near.

“GAF, like all peace-loving institutions and individuals, is looking forward to peaceful elections come December 2024. We therefore call on all institutions and groups not to associate GAF with anything that has the potential of heightening political tension in the country,” the release concludes.

What the IDEG boss said:

Speaking in an interview with JoyNews on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey noted that the Ghana Armed Forces has on more than two occasions threatened that if elections in the country turn violent beyond the control of the Ghana Police Service, it would intervene.

He added that these threats from the army should be taken seriously because they point to nothing but the end of civil rule and a military overthrow.

“The Armed Forces of Ghana since 2016 have clearly and openly in press conferences threatened that if violence breaks out in the country over election disputes or whatever and the police cannot deal with it and it’s escalating or threatening, they will step in. And they said if they did so, it would be to protect the territorial integrity, our peace, and our national unity.

“That would be a coup because the police cannot deal with nationwide violence. They are not equipped for that. It’s not about parliamentary elections, it’s about presidential elections because the president is elected throughout the country. And they have said that a second time in 2020 and probably even the third time they’ve even started talking about it so early,” he said.

The IDEG boss added, “Read the papers, and you will see the threat is real in a sub-region where there is a drift towards the military or the return of military governments. And ECOWAS is facing some challenges in dealing with these issues.”

BAI/ ADG

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