Ghana is not mortgaged to anybody - Minister

Rawlings' June 4th Speech: Audio
The Minister of Defence, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor maintained that Ghana is not mortgaged to anybody "neither is its armed forces a private property" that could be manipulated to serve the devious desires of any individual.

He has, therefore, charged the military not to allow irresponsible speeches that tend to drag it into politics to persist by ensuring that the country is protected from the misfortunes of ill-minded political adventurers.

Dr Kufuor, who was addressing a durbar of officers and men of the Sunyani Three Garrison, at the Liberation Barracks, was apparently making reference to utterances made by ex-president Jerry John Rawlings, while speaking at a National Democratic Congress (NDC) forum organised to mark June 4 in Accra.

Dr Kufuor described ex-president Rawlings' speech as an unfortunate vituperation "that has filled the nation with great sense of sorrow and foreboding".

He said the Armed Forces has a duty to protect the territory and the constitutional government of the country from breaches of security and this it must do with all its resources.

"Constitutionally, the government has been given a four-year mandate and it is only the people of Ghana, who can change the mandate through the ballot box.
The Military has a duty to ensure that this constitutional directive is adhered to".

Dr Kufuor said the government, within the constraints of the economy, has instituted a number of packages to address the logistical and welfare needs of the military to sharpen their operational readiness and to maintain their image.

Dr Kufuor mentioned the increase in the daily U.N. peacekeeping duty allowance from 16 to 20 dollars per soldier and the institution of personal, car and housing loan packages as some of the steps being taken by the government to motivate soldiers.

He said the Armed Forces have a huge international reputation for excellence and discipline, a fact the government is proud of and ready to assist to enhance it.

Major General Seth Obeng, Acting Chief of Defence Staff, insisted that the forces' loyalty to the government and the protection of the constitution was genuine and not borne out by "fun-fool respect".

"The Armed Forces is fully aware of its responsibility to protect the constitution and nobody should doubt its resolve to discharge this obligation and serve the government of the day with all our resources"

Maj. Gen. Obeng said the Armed Forces are respected all over the world because of its professionalism and the role it has played in the maintenance of constitutional rule in the country.

This feat, he said, has been well noted in international peacekeeping circles and this is why even though Unifil operations in Lebanon is being down-sized to 2,000 next year from its present strength of 5,800, Ghana's quota of one battalion would not be affected.

"It is important that we appreciate this and other mouth-watering welfare packages instituted by the government for us and thus fully commit ourselves to the protection of constitutional rule so that our international reputation will continue to rise".

Dr Kufuor and his entourage had earlier paid a courtesy call on the Sunyanihene, Nana Asor Bosoma Nkrawiri as part of efforts to deepen military-civilian relations. The Defence Minister also inspected a number of civil and military installations at the barracks

Rawlings' June 4th Speech: Audio
The Minister of Defence, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor maintained that Ghana is not mortgaged to anybody "neither is its armed forces a private property" that could be manipulated to serve the devious desires of any individual.

He has, therefore, charged the military not to allow irresponsible speeches that tend to drag it into politics to persist by ensuring that the country is protected from the misfortunes of ill-minded political adventurers.

Dr Kufuor, who was addressing a durbar of officers and men of the Sunyani Three Garrison, at the Liberation Barracks, was apparently making reference to utterances made by ex-president Jerry John Rawlings, while speaking at a National Democratic Congress (NDC) forum organised to mark June 4 in Accra.

Dr Kufuor described ex-president Rawlings' speech as an unfortunate vituperation "that has filled the nation with great sense of sorrow and foreboding".

He said the Armed Forces has a duty to protect the territory and the constitutional government of the country from breaches of security and this it must do with all its resources.

"Constitutionally, the government has been given a four-year mandate and it is only the people of Ghana, who can change the mandate through the ballot box.
The Military has a duty to ensure that this constitutional directive is adhered to".

Dr Kufuor said the government, within the constraints of the economy, has instituted a number of packages to address the logistical and welfare needs of the military to sharpen their operational readiness and to maintain their image.

Dr Kufuor mentioned the increase in the daily U.N. peacekeeping duty allowance from 16 to 20 dollars per soldier and the institution of personal, car and housing loan packages as some of the steps being taken by the government to motivate soldiers.

He said the Armed Forces have a huge international reputation for excellence and discipline, a fact the government is proud of and ready to assist to enhance it.

Major General Seth Obeng, Acting Chief of Defence Staff, insisted that the forces' loyalty to the government and the protection of the constitution was genuine and not borne out by "fun-fool respect".

"The Armed Forces is fully aware of its responsibility to protect the constitution and nobody should doubt its resolve to discharge this obligation and serve the government of the day with all our resources"

Maj. Gen. Obeng said the Armed Forces are respected all over the world because of its professionalism and the role it has played in the maintenance of constitutional rule in the country.

This feat, he said, has been well noted in international peacekeeping circles and this is why even though Unifil operations in Lebanon is being down-sized to 2,000 next year from its present strength of 5,800, Ghana's quota of one battalion would not be affected.

"It is important that we appreciate this and other mouth-watering welfare packages instituted by the government for us and thus fully commit ourselves to the protection of constitutional rule so that our international reputation will continue to rise".

Dr Kufuor and his entourage had earlier paid a courtesy call on the Sunyanihene, Nana Asor Bosoma Nkrawiri as part of efforts to deepen military-civilian relations. The Defence Minister also inspected a number of civil and military installations at the barracks