Trust an NDC government to ensure national security

By Dr. Michael J.K. Bokor

Monday, December 2, 2013

Folks, I have no shred of doubt in my mind that when it comes to providing and sustaining national security, a government of the NDC cannot be faulted. History supports my claim. If you doubt it, go back down the memory lane to know what Jerry Rawlings did and passed on to his successors.

Those who mount rooftops to bad-mouth him cannot be bold to praise him for securing national interests. Had Rawlings not invested so much in national security, he couldn't have survived all those years he ruled under the PNDC before metamorphosing into a civilian President with the NDC under the Fourth Republic.

He secured the country and proved to his detractors that he knew the game better than they did. Ask yourself how many coup attempts his administration foiled and why even the "too-known" US subversive CIA activities flopped (Remember the Michael Soussoudis affair and all its entailments?).

If you are not sure, ask yourself why it was easy for the Rawlings administration to outsmart the NPP's now-senile J.H. Mensah and his “Nobistor Affair” (hiring a ship and loading it with sophisticated armaments to overthrow Rawlings only to be ditched).

Many, many other instances, including the foolhardiness of the Halidu Gyiwahs, Akata-Pores, and many others who misperceived the Ghanaian situation under Rawlings, attest to the efficacy of Rawlings' measures. He couldn't have ruled Ghana for nearly 20 years if he didn't handle the security situation properly.

He survived and passed on the baton to Kufuor who didn't take long to prove why it was so easy for the late Kutu Acheampong to overthrow the Busia administration without firing a single shot when he led a group of soldiers on guard duty at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation to kick out the very Prime Minister who had appointed him to head the command post at the GBC because of rumours of an imminent coup d'etat. And those rumours were generated and circulated in government circles---and believed by the very people masterminding them!!

Truth be told, it will be far easier to overthrow an NPP government than it will be for an NDC government. Don't ask me why.

The days of military intervention in national politics are over, though; and the soldiers know it too; but we can't close our minds to precedents.

You see, when Kufuor began accusing Rawlings of planning to overthrow him (He said so at Offinso) and failed to substantiate his damning allegation, some of us understood why. It was just a throwback to what characterised the Busia administration: senseless paranoia!!

But no one need fear anything.

Ghana has continued to be stable because of the solid foundation laid by Rawlings. The Atta Mills government sustained that stability, which President Mahama is reinforcing. I am confident that the situation will continue to be so as the government tactfully outwits its detractors to put the national interest ahead of all other considerations.

That is why the shakeup involving the former National Security Adviser, Brigadier General Nunoo-Mensah (retired), and its implications (especially how political opponents are twisting and turning issues) come across to me as intriguing.

Of course, Gen Nunoo-Mensah's recent comments concerning workers' agitations might have nettled some, especially those who quickly condemned him and called for his dismissal.

Now, the President has given him a new assignment as the head of Human Security Unit of the National Security Secretariat, which is really not clear to me, though.

William Aboah has replaced him, and he is another good hand to rely on. Those who think otherwise should revise their notes.

As the change sinks, it is clear that those against Gen. Nunoo-Mensah have felt let down and are characterising his re-designation or re-assignment as a demotion. They may be seeking his total removal from the security apparatus but are disappointed; and rightly so!

Gen. Nunoo-Mensah himself is adamantly taunting his detractors and proving to them that even though he had worked with the Kufuor administration (apparently against the NDC), he is at home, doing assignments to secure Ghana's interests. Damn partisan political intrigues!!

President Mahama knows what he is about and will do all he can to sustain the legacy bequeathed to him in terms of securing Ghana's interests. Those who think they can slip through to cause any mess had better think twice---and deeply too---so they don't take any faulty step to be exposed and punished. History is on the side of an NDC government on this score!

I shall return…

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