You can’t talk to soldiers anyhow – Paul Adom-Otchere rebukes Sam George

Broadcast journalist Paul Adom-Otchere has criticised Communications Minister and Ningo-Prampram MP Samuel Nartey George for confronting a soldier, Lieutenant Albert Goh, describing his comments as disrespectful to the Ghana Armed Forces.

Paul said he was deeply disappointed by the manner in which Sam George spoke about the military personnel following an operation at a sand-winning site in Afienya.

The minister had accused the soldiers of brutalising residents, unlawfully seizing tipper trucks and threatening police officers who intervened in the matter.

However, Paul argued that the MP should not have publicly condemned the officer and the entire military establishment based on what he described as a one-sided account of the incident.

Reacting to a video of Sam George confronting the lieutenant, Paul said the minister’s choice of words was unacceptable, particularly considering the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces.

“I’m so excited that a former military officer has put a video up. I’m going to show to you a member of parliament who can reach the military any time he wants and in fact boasting that he was going to talk to the Defence Minister,” he said.

He added that the military deserved respect because its personnel risk their lives to protect the country and its citizens.

“Those soldiers who have gone on training, some of them have died. They travel to Liberia, they die. They go to Sierra Leone, they die. They go to Lebanon, they die. Their families are left unkempt. And we benefit from the activities of military people,” Paul stated.

He further questioned why an elected Member of Parliament would publicly speak against soldiers in a manner he considered demeaning.

“How can a member of parliament just talk about soldiers anyhow? You can’t do that,” he stressed.

Paul also called on the Ghana Armed Forces High Command to find an appropriate way of addressing the matter, insisting that public attacks on the institution by political officeholders should not be encouraged.

“I really hope that the Armed Forces High Command will find a way, we don’t have to know it, it doesn’t have to be public, will find a way to address the matter and tell members of parliament that you can’t publicly denigrate the Ghana Armed Forces,” he said.

He cited the sacrifices of military personnel in national assignments, including engineering projects, arguing that their contributions to Ghana should be recognised beyond their traditional security responsibilities.

Paul maintained that disagreements involving individual military officers should not become an excuse to undermine the reputation of the entire institution.