Keep Disgruntled And Defeated Politicians Out of Barracks

Colonel Micheal Amuzu, Deputy Director-General, Personnel and Administration of the Ghana Armed Forces, has stressed the need to keep disappointed, disgruntled and defeated politicians out of military barracks to prevent them from infesting the soldiers with diabolical ideas.

He also asked that there should be a balanced reportage by the electronic and print media on matters involving the military and called for assistance from the press to move forward the development of democracy in the country.

Colonel Amuzu was speaking at a seminar on "Civil-military relations in a constitutional democracy" organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) in Kumasi.

Military personnel, organised groups, assembly members and civil society attended the two-day seminar.

He observed that under the new political dispensation, there was a common desire to consolidate and strengthen democratic constitutional governance.

There was, therefore, the need to create an appropriate civil-military discourse to harmoniously appreciate issues at stake in order to arrive at positive conclusions and reach a common understanding on civil-military relations.

Colonel E. K. Danso, Deputy Director of Legal Affairs of the Ghana Armed Forces, who spoke on: "The military contribution in a constitutional democracy", stated that the role of the Ghanaian military in democratic governance has been stated in simple terms in the Constitution.

No one should have much difficulty in understanding what the role was but problems, however, arise when the military or its members stray outside the bounds of their constitutional role, either deliberately or in the false belief that they could do so.

Colonel Danso said it was, therefore, advisable for the military to keep its role in focus at all times, adding that the military must also exhibit loyalty to the state and maintain discipline within its ranks.

These measures were essential as part of the overall national effort to consolidate democratic governance in Ghana.

Dr Baffour Agyeman-Duah, Associate Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, said a survey conducted in February-March last year by the Centre showed that 84 per cent of Ghanaians said there was the need for a standing army.

He said 69 per cent had a positive impression of the character of the Ghanaian soldiers. Eighty per cent said the military should live in barracks.

Dr Agyeman-Duah said the survey showed that 60 per cent said soldiers should be allowed to carry guns while on duty while 38 per cent believed that the military has a very high or high commitment to constitutional rule.

He said 32 per cent believed that civil-military relations in Ghana today were excellent or very good.

Dr Agyeman-Duah said in spite of the good work the military does, very few people were aware of the services they render to the nation in diverse ways for the development of the country.

He said the findings of the survey clearly suggested strongly that Ghanaians were supportive of the military as an institution, however, he said it showed that they wanted the military out of partisan politics in particular and civilian matters in general.

Dr Agyeman-Duah said the survey showed that Ghanaians preferred that the military should not only be separated from the civilian realm but also subordinated to it.

Ghanaians also prefer that the military should be open to scrutiny by the public, the media and Parliament, which should supervise the spending of public funds by the military.