Changes imminent in GAF. Maj-Gen Odotei, 2 others to be considered for CDS(Front page) January 15, 2009

Story: Michael Donkor
A CHANGE within the top brass of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) which will see the appointment and retirement of some senior officers is expected to be announced soon.
Daily Graphic sources indicate that three of the four service chiefs of the Military High Command will be affected.
Those being considered for higher appointment include Major-General Carl Modey, Major-General Samuel Odotei and Major-General A.K. Abdulai, one of whom would be considered for the position of Chief of the Defence Staff.
According to highly placed sources in the transition team of the new government, the names had already been submitted to the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the GAF, for consideration and approval.
Others are Brigadier-General Emmanuel Okyere, Brig-Gen T.K. Opoku and Brig-Gen R.O Sackey, one of whom is to be considered as the Chief of Army Staff.
Commodore G.M. Biekro, the Chief Staff Officer at the Navy Headquarters; Commodore F. Daley, the Navy Commander in Takoradi; Commodore Michael Quarshie of the Eastern Naval Command and Commodore Muniru Tahiru are being considered for the position of Chief of Naval Staff, while Air Commodore Michael Sampson-Oje, the Air Force Base Commander in Takoradi; Air Commodore E.R. Krakue, the Air Force Base Commander in Accra, and Air Commodore I.S. Kadiri are being considered for the position of Chief of Air Staff.
The sources said Brig-Gen K. Oppong Kyekye and Brigadier-Gen R. Debrah are being considered for the position of General Officer Commanding the Northern Command, while Brig-Gen John Fokuo and Brig-Gen H.W Agbenuza are being considered for the position of General Officer Commanding the Southern Command.
Major-General Modey is currently the Deputy Force Commander serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, while Major-General Odotei is the current Chief of Army Staff.
The sources disclosed that the most favoured for the position is Major-General Odotei, who has demonstrated a high sense of professionalism, competence and loyalty to the Constitution of the country.
They said apart from that he had had several training programmes and courses, both in the United States and the United Kingdom, and served on numerous United Nations Peacekeeping Missions, the latest of which was as a Sector Commander with the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone.
He was also appointed the Chief Staff Officer at the General Headquarters of the GAF.
Brig-Gen Okyere is the General Officer Commanding the Southern Command, while Brig-Gen Opoku is the Commandant of the Support Services Brigade.
Commodore Tahiru is currently the Chief Defence Adviser in Cairo, Egypt, while Brig-Gen Sackey is the Commandant of the Military Academy and Training School.
The sources said the change in the command structure was being quickened in conformity with the regulations of the GAF and in fulfilment of the 1992 Constitution.
They said presently the service commanders had finished preparing their handing-over notes and were waiting to hand them over.