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Ghana to be oasis of peace and
stability - Addo-Kufuor
Accra, GNA - Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, the out-going Minister of
Defence, has pointed out that Ghana is on the verge of
becoming an oasis of peace and stability in sub-Saharan
Africa, stressing that this brings to mind the subtle way
the country's Fourth Republic has been entrenched.
He made this statement when speaking to the Ghana News
Agency to enumerate what he terns "his harvest of
achievement" at the Ministry since his appointment in 2001
when he was appointed Minister.
The out-going Minister stated that a couple of years ago,
many Ghanaians and people living outside the country
entertained fears over the possibility that the military
could decide to take over the government.
"All this has changed over the past few years Ghanaians are
comfortable with their democracy and are now confident in
the Armed Forces as well," he stated.
Dr Addo-Kufuor who is also the MP for Manhyia said Ghana had
won the reputation of being the most stable democracy in
West Africa were the rule of law is combined with a free
market economy and a steadily rising Gross Domestic Product
(GDP).
"It is no wonder that Ghana stands out as a model state that
the international community wants the rest of the West
Africa sub-region to emulate," he remarked.
Dr Addo-Kufuor noted that while emphasis had always been
placed on the country's success in good political governance
and economic management, less attention had been placed on
how the Armed Forces had been carefully co-opted into
playing a new role in the country's development and how they
had adjusted after decades of calling the shots rather than
answering to civilian authority.
Lamenting on the military/civilian relationship, Dr
Addo-Kufuor said the injection of professionalism into the
Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) had resulted in an enduring peace
and stability.
He attributed the strengthened relation with the military to
the political education programmes it had been organising in
collaboration with the National Commission for Civic
Education (NCCE).
The main purpose was to sensitise officers in both military
and civilian in matters that would promote professionalism
and healthy civilian/military relation required to move the
country forward, he said.
Some of the issues they addressed are political matters,
constitutional provisions relating to human rights and the
civic responsibilities of Armed Forces personnel, the role
of the Armed Forces, topical issues affecting the nation,
explanation of high command policies, health matters among
others.
"The concerted effort such as those has done a world of good
for relation between the military and civilian society", he
affirmed.
Another area of cooperation, he mentioned, was the effort to
bring the media closer to the military through soirees,
training workshop, seminars and the armed forces open day,
which enabled civilian/media men to visit military barracks
and installation to interact with soldiers and their
families.
Dr Addo-Kufuor as the Minister of Defence facilitated joint
military/police operation, which had been successful in
helping to curb armed robbery and other violent crimes.
Other activities included curbing illegal activities of
chainsaw operators, which contributed to the destruction of
the environment, he said adding that, it was now under
control due to the effort of the GAF and the Forestry
Commission.
He said that the GAF continued to patrol the borders of
cocoa growing towns and villages to help curb smuggling of
the precious beans.
Dr Addo-Kufuor, who was declared the best minister in the
year 2003, said undoubtedly that "Ghana is leading
peace-keeping nation in Africa and one of the oldest" where
Ghanaians had been the Force Commander and currently had a
battalion in Bosnia and Namibia and an 800-strong contingent
in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Ghana is also an active member of ECOMOG deploying about
one-third of its estimated 7,000 personnel in peacekeeping.
He said at present GAF had two observers in Croatia, eight
in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 15 in Iraq, 784
personnel in the Lebanon, 775 in Sierra Leone and 13 in
Western Sahara.
In addition it had participated in a USA-sponsored Africa
Crisis Response initiative as well as the French RECAP
initiative respectively.
He said Ghana's important role in peace-keeping culminated
in the establishment of Kofi Annan peace-keeping Centre (KAPKC)
near the Staff College, Teshie with an initial support of 7
million dollars from Germany for the training of people from
all over the world.
Dr Addo-Kufuor was selected among 26 strong personalities by
international business magazine "The Corporate Guardian" in
its July/September edition 2006 headed "Movers and Shakers
of Ghana's Economy".
He stated that to ensure professionalism and political
neutrality of the GAF, political organization such as ACDR's
and 31st December Women Movement, had been proscribed.
"It's the government intention to fully engage the Armed
Forces as development partners in providing for the needs,
deprived and protect the environment," he pointed out.
The Armed Forces are in an agro-forestry project established
at Michel Camp, near Tema on a pilot basis.
Due to its success it had been extended to other garrisons
securing 410 million cedis raised through contribution by
public-spirited individuals and organization while the
Forestry Commission offered 50,000 seedlings to support the
project.
He said to strengthen Ghana defensive system the GAF has
been assisted by the acquisition of a Naval vessel from USA
to assist in protecting the maritime resources of Ghana,
four MI-17 helicopters from Russia for the internal and
external operations of the Air force.
Dr Addo-Kufuor stated that in addition a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) was concluded with the University of
Ghana, Legon, for the affiliation of the Ghana Armed Forces
Command and Staff College to allow student do graduate
studies, leading to masters degree in international
relation.
As a manifestation of the untiring work of Dr Addo-Kufuor a
new block to house the Ministry Defence, the outfit of the
Chief Defence Staff (CDS) and the Chief Director among
others would take off by the ending of this month.
"This was at an approximated cost of 3 million US dollars
and the funding was 1.25 million US dollars through Chinese
grant, and 1.75 million US dollars from the government of
Ghana (peace-keeping account).
Elaborating on how the 37 Military Hospital was completed,
he said, the first phase costing the Ministry of Defence 18
million US dollars by the previous government "but the
second phase cost 20 million US Dollars, was entirely the
effort of Dr Addo-Kufuor".
The hospital which was commissioned in 2002 July by
President J.A. Kufuor had put in place measures for it to
become patient-friendly, therefore it has further equipped
four emergency response unit vehicles, 13 cadet trained in
first aid and two helicopters standby ever ready for
emergencies.
He said the new-look Burma Hall with a library complex,
which was similar to the Great Hall of the University of
Ghana cost of 17 billion cedis, was noted for important
activities such as examinations conferences, durbars, court
martial and concerts.
To ensure that soldier lived in clean environs he has
rehabilitated barracks and started over 19 more projects at
the various garrisons to improve sewerage, provision of
portable water and roads.
Dr Addo-Kufuor at one time combined the portfolios of
Defence and Interior with tact and diplomacy is qualified to
contest for the highest office of the land, the presidency.
Dr Addo-Kufuor has proven that a consultant physician and a
lecturer of medicine can defend the nation effectively
without carrying a weapon and or firing a shot.
He successfully moved the military from the era of coup
d'etat to professionalism.
GNA
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