Member of Parliament for Assin South Constituency, John Ntim Fordjour has described the recent reshuffling of top military officers as a reckless decision that could have serious consequences for Ghana’s security and democracy.
“This decision is most regrettable, disruptive, costly, and must never again be countenanced in our Fourth Republic,” he declared.
He argued that the president’s decision to remove senior officers and appoint new commanders was not based on professional considerations but rather on political motives. “President Mahama says he cannot work with the senior officers. If you can’t work with them, then who can you work with?” he questioned.
Fordjour pointed out that Ghana’s armed forces had expanded significantly, with well-trained officers who had years of service left.
By dismissing them, he said, the country risks losing valuable expertise while incurring additional costs in training replacements.
“The investment in these officers, the essential critical skills they possess, have all been sacrificed. It is all gone,” he lamented.
He warned that such actions could undermine discipline within the military, as officers may begin to view promotions as politically influenced rather than based on competence.
“Political loyalty has become the new consideration instead of professionalism and competence. It does not inspire neutrality or loyalty to the state,” he cautioned.
Emphasizing that in previous democratic transitions, changes in military leadership were done responsibly, he criticized the current approach, saying it resembled the tactics of military takeovers. “What has been the precedent for military takeovers?
Whenever new heads of state took over, they sacked all the senior generals. But in a democratic dispensation, such reckless decisions must not happen,” he stressed.
