Navy-Tema Youth clash: GAF’s statement has no sense of remorse – Adam Bonaa

Security analyst Dr. Adam Bonaa has condemned the statement from the Ghana Armed Forces threatening retaliation against persons who carry out attacks on military installations.

This follows the killing of two persons by the Navy in Tema New Town during the Kpejoo Festival. Three persons including a Navy Officer are reported to have sustained various degrees of injuries during an altercation between the youth and Navy personnel.

Live ammunition was fired into the crowd that had amassed, killing two people.

But in a statement, the Ghana Armed Forces said their action was necessitated by the attacks on the Tema Naval Base by the mob.

The Ghana Armed Forces also warned that they would not hold back should there be any further attacks on their installations or personnel.

However, commenting on the issue in an interview on the morning Starr on Starr News, Dr. Adam Bonaa said the deaths could have been avoided, adding that the absence of accountability in similar incidents in the past is what is fueling the recurrence of abuse at the hands of the military.

He described the content of the statement from the Ghana Armed Forces as having no sense of remorse or accountability.

“I am appalled; I am not happy about what is happening. If a military officer knows that if he abuses you, he’s going to be punished, that military officer will be careful; that officer will not like to take the laws into his own hands. But unfortunately, it is not that way, because you can talk about Eujra; you can talk about the incident at Wa; one military officer lost his phone and the soldiers went on a beating spree, some small boys in military uniform. Unfortunately, I have not seen anyone being punished. If anybody has been sanctioned, I have not seen it. It should not look as if civilians are not happy to live side by side with the military,” he said.