Nunoo-Mensah in limbo

It appears the embattled National Security Advisor, Brigadier-General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah is in limbo following the assertion by Information and Media Relations Minister Mahama Ayariga that he was unsure about the place of the retired army officer in the John Mahama administration.

Ayariga said he is not sure if the former Chief of Defence Staff had been retained by the current administration.

Brig Nunoo-Mensah was appointed by the late President Atta Mills as his National Security Advisor in 2009 had been under fire for his recent outbursts at organised labour, after asking aggrieved workers to pack their baggage and leave Ghana if they were not satisfied with their conditions of service.

It would be recalled that in an attempt to caution dissatisfied workers in the nation, the former army chief asked them to leave the country to seek refuge elsewhere if they would not sacrifice for the nation.

“Ghana is not a police state. Take your passports and get out of this country and don’t destroy the country for us, if you can’t sacrifice like what some of us have done, then get out.

“If the kitchen is too hot for you, get out,” Nunoo-Mensah stated during the inauguration of a 9-unit classroom block built for O’reilly Senior High School in Accra.

Consequently, groups and individuals including the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former Volta River Authority CEO, Dr. Charles Wereko- Brobby have all called for Nunoo-Mensah’s head.

The army officer’s controversial outburst was a topic for discussion on Joy FM and Multi TV current affairs programme, Newsfile last Saturday, during which Mahama Ayariga indicated he was not sure if Nunoo-Mensah was still the National Security Advisor.

“I am not sure if General Nunoo-Mensah is still the National Security Advisor, I will have to cross-check with the Presidency,” Mr. Ayariga stated when he was quizzed by the host of the programme on the status of the former CDS.

“It is not clear if President Mahama has retained Nunoo-Mensah as his National Security Advisor since assuming power as the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.”

However, Mr. Ayariga presumed that Nunoo-Mensah’s continued presence in the office of National Security Advisor could mean he was still at post per administrative procedures, until a new National Security Advisor was announced by the President.

“I can only assume that administratively, he is still at post because the office of National Security Advisor has not been closed down,” he added.

According to him, certain processes would have to be followed before a person is named as an advisor to the government.

Mr. Ayariga could not however confirm whether those procedures were concluded as there was no official communication to that effect.

Responding, Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul-Malik Kweku Baako Jnr, who was a panelist on the show, described as a major lapse, the fact that the Information Minister could not state the exact position of Nunoo-Mensah and only offered to now cross-check.

Sekou slams Mahama

Meanwhile, son of Ghana’s first President, Sekou Nkrumah, had taken a swipe at the John Dramani Mahama-led NDC administration, saying the government appears ‘frustrated’ by the current economic situation.

He explained that as a result of the frustration in government, its officials seemed to overreact on issues of public interest.

This, according to him, explained why Nunoo-Mensah lambasted striking workers in the country.

“It’s a reflection of the frustration the government is going through, as it seems that many workers are going on strike…I think once they are voted for, they should show humility. And they should be concerned about the welfare of the people and find a way of dealing with it through dialogue.

“It’s unfortunate that the people in government will make such remarks that the National Security Advisor made. But I think it must have come out of frustration and the government’s inability to deal with workers’ strike,” Sekou noted.

He implored President Mahama and his administration to dialogue with public sector workers to find lasting solution to their challenges.

“Unfortunate as it was, I mean the statement, I think people sometimes overreact. That’s it but I think the government and therefore the Presidency, the cabinet; I think they should try and sit down and address the concerns of the workers properly,” he stated.