Be proactive – Veep tells Ghana military

Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, on Wednesday asked the Ghana Armed Forces to be more proactive in monitoring flashpoints and potential trouble areas in the country before they explode.

He said consequences of conflicts on national development could be serious, and asked personnel of the security agencies to nip security threats in the bud.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the call when he addressed the first council meeting, of the year (2013) of the Ghana Armed Forces Council, at the Ministry of Defence, in Accra.

The meeting, coming after the inauguration of the new council by President John Dramani Mahama last March, sought to discuss the effective functioning of the forces – the Air Force, the Army and the Navy.

He called on the Armed Forces to intensify their operations in defence of the nation as Government has enhanced their operational logistics.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur observed that communal problems had manifested in land, ethnic and chieftaincy clashes, and reminded the security agencies of their responsibility to deal with such threats before they escalate into dangerous levels.

“We need to do a little bit more ….where these problems are rising,” the Vice President said, and assured the Armed Forces of government’s support with more logistics and operational facilities.

He commended the Armed Forces for contributing to peaceful and violence-free general elections last December.

Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo, Minister of Defence, said the council, since its inauguration, had visited military establishments, including the Burma Camp, the General Army Headquarters, the Naval Headquarters, Michelle Camp and the Jungle Warfare School at Achiase in the Eastern Region

“We have been able to put together some of their concerns,” Mr. Woyongo said.

Present at the meeting was Nii Tackie Yarboi, Chief Director of the Ministry of Defence.

Source: GNA