Mills reverses ban on seven military officers

Accra, June 24, GNA- President John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday reversed the ban placed by the previous administration on seven former military officers from entering military installations. He said the ban has no effect.

The announcement, which was made at the Burma Camp, during a durbar at the Burma Hall in Accra, attracted a wild applause, as the President also announced an increase in the allowance for peace keeping missions from 27 dollars to 30 dollars.

The visit was the first by the President to the Ministry of Defence, as the Commander-in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). President Mills condemned actions, which are based on flimsy excuses and tend to create national disunity.

He reminded Ghanaians to be careful about creating situations that would haunt them eventually.

The ban was imposed by the Kufuor's administration, after National Security officials had described a meeting of the seven officers as a threat to national security.

The officers were Lt. Gen. Arnold Quainoo, former General Officer Commanding; Brigadier General Nunoo Mensah, former Chief of Defence Staff; and the late Rear Admiral Owusu Ansah, former Chief of Naval Staff.

The rest are Mr C.K. Dewornu; former Inspector General of Police, F.Y. Asare, former Greater Accra Regional Police Commander; Bruce Konuah, former Defence Advisor to Pakistan; and W.K Aboah, former Commissioner of Police.

President Mills condemned the attitudes of divine accolades, adding "there is always a tomorrow and that people would be called to account, and when the good people of Ghana decide, the verdict cannot change". The President also donated six buses to the training schools of the GAF.

He commended the integrity and professionalism of the security agencies during the last general election and requested them to uphold the service code to which they had committed themselves. The President assured the Forces that Government had already taken steps to improve upon their logistics situation.

He called on them to rally in unity, and get ready to learn from the experiences of other countries to prepare adequately for the security demands of Ghana becoming an oil producing country. 2