Military to continue with friendly posture - Dr Addo-Kufuor

Accra, Jan. 21, GNA - Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Defence-Designate, on Friday said the Military would continue to adopt a friendly posture in Military-Civilian relationship to boost public confidence in the Armed Forces.

He said focus would also be on ensuring that the rule of law was upheld by the Military at all times.

Dr Addo-Kufuor, who was answering a question from a Member of the Appointments Committee of Parliament in Accra, said he had written to the Inspector-General of Police about the recent death of a civilian, who died in Military custody in the Northern Region.

He said once investigations were concluded, anybody found culpable would not be shielded but would face the full rigorous of the law.

On some details being pursued by the Ministry of Defence, he said the Ghana Armed Forces was liaising with the University of Ghana, Legon to assist Armed Forces personnel to pursue various academic programmes as part of a human resources development programme.

On how to tackle the brain drain affecting the 37 Military Hospital, Dr Addo-Kufuor said the introduction of various incentives, including the additional duty hour allowance, were some modest means being used to stop the brain drain.

On Military equipment, he said the purchase of four helicopters for the Air Force would assist tremendously in surveillance and security operations.

The Minister-designate, who touched on the recent tsunami in Asia and East Africa, said Ghana needed to prepare for disaster on a large-scale and it was in this direction that the 37 Military Hospital was being refurbished.

He said there were plans to establish another military hospital for the Northern Command.

On decentralising recruitment into the Armed Forces to the district level, Dr Addo-Kufour said this was not possible because of the intricacies involved in the exercise.