Armed forces deny media report

Bundase (G/R), Nov. 6, GNA - The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on Monday denied media reports that it was an institution in distress planning a bloody "onslaught" on an Accra-based radio station.

Brigadier General Emmanuel Okyere, General Officer Commanding the Southern Command of the GAF, who was reacting to reports in the "Enquirer", a private newspaper, told the media at a briefing at Bundase, near Accra, that the reports in the paper were misleading.

"We the Armed Forces are fully accountable to the citizens of this country and let me set the records straight. I want to state here and now that the armed forces are not sitting on tenterhooks whatsoever as the publication sought to portray.

"Indeed, the Ghana Armed Forces is completely at peace with itself. Secondly, there is no imminent bloody onslaught whatsoever on Radio Gold," he said.

Rather, he said, the purported attack, which the newspaper published, was one of numerous contingency schemes aimed at "securing our Constitution, our people and our nation Ghana".

"This is certainly not any conspiracy to commit crime. This is a normal preparedness scheme drawn by units within their area of operation as part of their operational readiness programme.

=93The Enquirer=94 in its November 2 edition published that there was a bloody coup in the making and that the armed forces which were in distress because of the alleged insurgency, was planning an onslaught on the Radio Gold which may cause heavy casualties to civilians and opponents.

Brig. Gen. Okyere said that in cases where such plans were to be rehearsed, they were done in consultation with relevant stakeholders and affected organizations.

He said it was one of such preparedness schemes that the newspaper used to misinform the public on the alleged coup plot.

"Indeed the Ghana Armed Forces, like any pro-active military, maintains various contingency plans covering various situations and scenarios, and also for various key installations and vulnerable points, including radio and TV station.

"Let me state firmly that there is no way, in this peace time, that any such contingency plans will be rehearsed without consultations with the relevant organizations. Neither will such activity be undertaken without due notice to the public at large as we have always done."

Brig. Gen Okyere said even though it was disturbing that such a classified scheme, which had preparedness plans for training purposes, found its way to the media, what was worrisome was that the newspaper published virtually all the operational plan in the classified material without recourse to the military.

He advised the media to be circumspect about reports that tend to undermine national security, adding that investigations into the matter were ongoing and that military was going to take the appropriate measures, including legal action to remedy the situation.

"Let me assure all peace loving Ghanaians that ours is no mischief at all. We mean good and none has the any cause to worry or fear. We have a responsibility to protect and defend our people, nation and Constitution, and we will not fail or fret when the time comes.

"The security of our country is a collective effort and we will certainly depend upon your good judgment and support for a positive way forward. And for this matter our transparent military exercises will continue," he said. 6 Nov. 06