Gov't won't interfere with Force's professional integrity, Prez Assures (Front Page) June 25 2009

Story: Michael Donkor
THE President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, yesterday paid his first official visit to the headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) at Burma Camp and assured the soldiers that the government would not undertake any covert or overt actions that would tamper with their professional integrity.
He noted that considerable political interference and tempering with the GAF’s activities in the past created factions and deep-seated animosity between the officers and the other ranks which, in the long run, compromised professional integrity and threatened the country’s democracy.
Addressing a durbar of the GAF held in his honour, President Mills explained that the government would always accord officers, men and women of the respective security agencies in the country respect and dignity and not arrogance and contempt.
The durbar also attracted retired service commanders, including General Arnold Quainoo, General Joshua Hamidu and General Erskine.
“I have never doubted the professional integrity of the GAF and I will strive within the constraints of the national economy to enhance their pedigree,” he said.
According to him, the government had initiated a number of measures intended to provide logistical support and basic social and economic facilities for the various units of the GAF.
Those, President Mills explained, included potable water, accommodation, rehabilitation of clinics at the various barracks and improvement in their wages and salaries.
“The government has to implement far-reaching policies to boost the morale of personnel of the GAF and we have taken measures in that direction,” he said.
He said it was important for the government to equip personnel of the GAF to discharge their obligations and responsibilities of safeguarding the country against aggression and upholding and protecting the Fourth Republican Constitution.
President Mills paid glowing tribute to the GAF for the impartial role they played during the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections.
He said their steadfastness went a long way to prevent the polls from degenerating into confusion and plunging the country into conflict.
“We are proud of our Armed Forces. You remain the life insurance of our nation,” the President emphasised.
He reminded the gathering that the oil find in the country would bring in its wake a lot of challenges and the GAF would be prevailed upon to play a monitoring role to avoid plunder and abuse of the resource.
In his opening remarks, the Minister of Defence, General Henry Smith (retd), said the GAF had a unique role to play in the country’s social and economic development.
“ It is the resolve of the GAF to pursue this agenda with all the urgency and professionalism at their disposal,” the minister said.
He said in view of the enormous challenges facing the GAF in the present century, especially with the oil find and the need to protect the country’s marine resources, the institution was embarking on a major review to redirect its scope of activities.
That, General Smith pointed out, included restructuring in order to deal holistically with the complex defence and security issues that existed today.