Please read below the full reaction dated 27-12-2024, in an attachment elsewhere of this publication to the GAF’s press release.
DIRECTOR GENERAL PUBLIC RELATIONS OF GHANA ARMED FORCES BRIGADIER GENERAL E. AGGREY -QUASHIE MUST NOT MISLEAD THE PUBLIC PLEASE COME CLEAR.
Reference to Ghana Armed forces press release no D7 dated 25th December 2024 titled “STOP MISINFORMING THE PUBLIC”. We want to state that the letter from GAF is nothing but deception fabricated aiming to cheat the intelligence of Ghanaians and must be disregarded until further explanation and answers are properly presented by the leadership of Ghana Armed forces. The letter from GAF with regards to the incident that occurred two days ago at the 5th infantry battalion (5bn) Ammunition Depot is an agenda to throw dust into the public eyes thinking that the public are novice when it comes to how things are done in the GAF.
It is very unfortunate reading such a feeble and misrepresentation response from a noble institution like Ghana Armed forces. GAF may want to do internal investigation and sanctions without involving the public. But the Ghana Armed forces through their PRO Statement is an insult to the intelligence of the public. Brigadier General E. AGGREY -QUASHIE said and I quote:
“The vehicle that entered the magazine premises was there to deliver newly acquired live cows to be quarantined, before being relocated to the Kraa which is adjacent to the magazine”.
We want to put it to GAF that the pickup vehicle entered the magazine with an empty bucket without a cow and the pickup bucket was open but when the pickup was leaving the magazine the bucked was covered.
The audio from our outfit did not say the pickup vehicle entered the “premises ” of the magazine, we said the pickup entered the magazine so GAF must be specific according to what was said in the audio. As patriotic Ghanaians we only have the following questions to ask Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) especially military high command for clarification:
The good people of Ghana want to know when did GAF started using their Ammunition Depot as a quarantined Depot for cows?.
If it is about cows, where was the Provo in charge of animals including cows but rather it was the W O in charge of the magazine that was there with the CO?
Warrant Officer OWUSU Twum who was around Lt Col Owusu Afriyie is in charge of the magazine and not the Kraa or anything that has to do with cows or animals in general. This was the situation none of the appointment holders who were supposed to be in charge of animals, especially the provo were there or seen around that area at that time and yet GAF is misinforming the public that it was about quarantine of cow.
Is it not true that the military Ammunition Depots are restricted areas for all ranks except being authorised by the commanding officer of the unit because he keeps all keys of the Ammunition Depot?
Is it not true that even the Arms store man of the unit does not keep the keys of the Armoury, how much more in the name of just quarantining a cow?
How can quarantining a cow take the whole commanding officer of the unit and the Operations Warrant Officer who is a very high appointment holder of the unit to move to the Armoury to receive a so-called quarantined cow?
How important is this particular cow for the Commanding Officer of 5bn of GAF to move to the magazine with other people well dressed in civil outfit?
The people of Ghana will also want to know from GAF which of the cars parked at the Armoury in the video that carry the cow from town to the Armoury of 5bn?
Can GAF prove to Ghanaians by providing evidence of the access to Armoury permit that was authorised by the commanding officer allowing the vehicle to send the cow to the Armoury?
Can GAF provide evidence of proof of the Sentry vehicular movement records book that checks in and out of all vehicles entering to the barracks, especially the Armoury?
We know that for anyone entering the Ammunition Depot there is a record book which the Sentry on duty will have to book all details of persons and vehicles entering the Ammunition Depot and out.
Can GAF provide the details of the vehicle that brought the quarantine cow, the driver’s name and phone contact of persons who brought the cow to the Ammunition Depot
Aside from all these, we also know that in the military each and every officer or soldier has their individual roles they play. For example Operations Warrant Officer (W O) is an appointment given to a very well qualified warrant officer who undertakes all his tactical and operational courses that qualified him/her to that appointment of operational commander.
If what Ghana Armed forces is telling us is something to go by we would have seen the Provo and the CO moving up and down around the Kraa and not W O OWUSU Twum who is in charge of the Anything about fatigue, and quarantine of animals the Provo of the unit must have been involve together with cook IC and the store man of the unit to take note of the animal, while the provo finds a suitable place for safety and feeding of the animal and the cook IC will also be in the known. The cook IC should take note of the type of cow and the size they brought to the unit in case they ask them to kill it. But this was the situation none of these appointment holders of GAF who were supposed to be incharge of animals, especially the provo were there that day, but rather Ops WO and the CO.
Lastly I want to state as a matter of fact that the pick up that entered the 5bn Ammunition Depot was empty, there was not any animal in that pick-up but when the pickup was leaving the Armoury it left with the bucket of the pickup covered. I am challenging GAF to provide the Sentry/Armoury vehicular and human movement records book, especially at the Congo junction entry point of Burma camp. GAF should provide those details to Ghanaians, the Sentry records book has the full details of vehicular and human movement records.
We are therefore calling on the leadership of GAF to investigate this particular case thoroughly and punish the current CO Lt Col Owusu Afriyie and W O Owusu Twum if necessary.
Ghana Armed forces belong to all of us and it is our collective effort to protect the integrity, moral and respect of this noble institution.
The various commanders must have it in mind that they are not the first people to head this noble institution and therefore must protect the image of the institution above their political interest.
SIGNED
AZUBILA EMMANUEL ABDUL-SALAM
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY ANCHORING DEMOCRACY ADVOCACY MOVEMENT GHANA (ADAM-GH)
CONTACT: 0544418072
