NDC vs Brig. Gen. Opoku: Silence of Ghana Armed Forces, National Security, others is preparation for more disaster – Col Aboagye

A security analyst, Colonel Festus Aboagye, has expressed concerns over the troubling silence of security institutions in the country, several days after wild allegations were leveled against the General Officer Commanding of the Central Command, Brigadier General Michael Opoku, by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In an interview with Channel One TV, Col. Aboagye, a retired military officer, expressed concern about the security implications of allegations against a senior military officer.

He questioned the lack of investigations into both the allegations and the accused individual, expressing shock that state security agencies have not taken action and that the Ministry of the Interior has yet to comment, especially with just a few weeks before the elections, to verify the accuracy of the claims.

“If any person or institution makes an allegation, it behoves on the state to investigate the allegations. It’s been days since the NDC alleged specifically that a certain senior officer, Commander of the Central Command, is storing weapons and ballot papers and is in collusion with a political party to rig the elections in the Ashanti Region and elsewhere.

“It’s been days since the NPP rebutted and also advanced its own allegations and the authorities haven’t spoken. Ministry of the Interior hasn’t spoken, National Security, Ghana Armed Forces haven’t spoken because that senior officer is under the command of the CDS,” he said.

Col. Aboagye concluded that if the state fails to take action, these incidents could set a dangerous precedence for the country.

“These silences add to the confusion and the deepening mistrust given that there is a history of political interference in our systems, including elections. If the state keeps quiet and they don’t distance itself from the party that it comes from, and act like a constitutionally established body to look into these matters, we are only preparing ourselves for more disaster,” he added.

Background

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held a press conference on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, claiming to expose a sinister agenda led by Brigadier General Michael Opoku, General Officer Commanding Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, to rig the 2024 general election in favour of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Sammy Gyamfi alleged that Brigadier General Michael Opoku has been given explicit orders by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the current NPP government to rig the upcoming general election in return for further promotion.

He also alleged that the Brigadier General is leading the training of hardened NPP thugs at the Asutuare Training Camp of the Ghana Armed Forces to execute the rigging agenda during the election.

According to the NDC, the General Commanding Officer has been promised the position of Chief of Defence Staff if he is able to see through the agenda. He is alleged to have since relocated his family outside the country.

“In his current position, Brigadier General Michael Opoku has been mandated by President Akufo-Addo to take charge of a well-crafted scheme designed by the NPP to rig the upcoming general elections, particularly in the Ashanti Region, through ballot stuffing, swapping of ballot boxes, swapping of pink sheets, and other clandestine activities starting with the special voting exercise scheduled for December 2 of this year.

“Having relocated his family to the United Kingdom, Brigadier General Michael Opoku has vowed to do all it takes to carry out his shady election rigging plot in exchange for the position of Chief of Defence Staff in the unlikely event that the NPP wins the 2024 elections,” he stated among other allegations.