Why JJ inspected fighter planes

Former President Jerry John Rawlings may not be the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, but he still wields enough power in the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) Administration to inspect security facilities and installations.

Apparently ignoring President John Evans Atta Mills’ warning that he (Mills) is the only president in the country, the NDC founder on Tuesday 31st March 2009, made a shocking dawn inspection of the Air Force Base right in the heart of the Forces Command Headquarters at the Burma Camp.

This comes just a few weeks after the NDC founder had inspected security installations at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), thereby attracting a lot of backlash.

Just immediately after the KIA inspection, which his special aide, Kofi Adams said was to give Mr. Rawlings a first hand information about the security situation at the airport, unconfirmed reports suggested that some arms were cleared at the Cargo Village of the airport by some civilians using a military and private vehicles to some unknown locations.

DAILY GUIDE sources at the base hinted that while he was there, former President Rawlings who until the change of government in January, was banned from visiting any military installation, was led throughout the inspection by three officers, made up of two Group Captains and a Wing Commander.

Rawlings inspected both the square and the hangars at the base, and admired the Fighter Ground Attack (FGA) planes, the Italian Machii fighters and other Fokker Transport Planes in the hangar.

An officer who was not pleased with the 5:00 am inspection tour of the former president to the security facility, hinted that the Military High Command was kept in the dark, adding that the Air Force Commander at the time and Base Commander were not present as would ordinarily be expected.

The source named the officers who were instrumental in the inspection tour as Group Captain M.M. Nagai (GH/1909), Group Captain Kobina Ayisa (GH/1819), and Wing Commander Ray M.K. Datsa (GH/2321).

The essence of the inspection is not clear, but insiders see it as one of the possible prologues to an unfolding drama.

The last time he caused such a stir was on 20th January 2009, when he allegedly stormed the Kotoka International Airport armed with a camera, with the explanation that he wanted to acquaint himself with the security situation at the facility.

And in an attempt to do some damage control, Kofi Adams, his aide, said the former president never broke any protocol, adding that he only went there to check if the gates had been properly locked.

“Former President Rawlings is one person who will not advise out of nothing; he must know the situation before he speaks to it. He will not advise you based on information you provide him, he will advise you based on information he has,” Adams said.

According to him, the ruling party had a mandate to implement its manifesto and that his boss' adventures were part of the process of fulfilling the social contract the ruling party signed with Ghanaians.

Hours before he stormed the airport, Rawlings slammed President Mills for not dismissing security chiefs he believed were in bed with the former government.

This time around, his inspection of the fighter planes coincided with the latest vituperations he poured on Mills.

Observers are still monitoring and have opined that President Mills will actually have to prove that he is indeed the only president in the country.