Over Sneaky Forces Pay Regiment Appointment
Reports reaching DAYBREAK indicates that an interesting appointment into the position of Commanding Officer, Forces Pay Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, has triggered massive anger among officers and other ranks.
Traditionally, the position is occupied since the colonial era even into national independence and post-independence, by a Colonel or senior-most Lieutenant Colonel.
During President JA Kufuor’s era, the position was occupied by a Lieutenant Colonel Serebour. During the tenure of Professor Evans Atta Mills, DAYBREAK was further told, it was occupied by another Lieutenant Colonel, Abdulai, followed by Dzisi, who later became a Brigadier and Defence Financial Controller (DFC).
Interestingly, there are adequate numbers of Colonels there, who are qualified for the job. Additionally, there are also Lieutenant Colonels who are qualified for that same position. DAYBREAK finds it strange that the Military Command would skip all of these qualified human resources and appoint a junior with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel – lower in ranking as a Colonel. Indeed, the new appointee, Lieutenant Colonel Laryea, is the most junior Lieutenant Colonel among the whole lot.
For the past several appointment tenures, all holders of the position – four in all – were Colonels, including the current Acting DFC.
The CDS is aware and the Army Commander is also aware and they are both together with the majority of the officers and other ranks angry at the apparent violation of military convention, tradition and commonsense according to DAYBREAK sources.
The appointment, DAYBREAK learnt, is not only ridiculous, but also has a tendency to trigger confusion among members of the Armed Forces, if the President as Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces fails to intervene.
