Why Mahama sacked Military Chiefs

Barely a day after a DAILY GUIDE report about imminent changes in the Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, President John Mahama late yesterday replaced the Chief of the Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Matthew Quashie, with Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sampson Michael-Oje.

A statement about the changes emanating from the Office of the President said AVM Sampson Michael-Oje replaces Vice Admiral Matthew Quashie as the Chief of the Defence Staff, with no explanation about the sudden removal of the CDS and his Naval subordinate, Real Admiral Geoffrey Mawuli Biekro.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that the sudden changes were effected because of the recent embarrassment caused the presidency by the recent dismissal of 501 recruits, mostly NDC foot-soldiers undergoing training at Shai Hills.

The army chief was also pencilled down for removal but for ethnic balance, Major General Richard Opoku-Adusei was spared the rod.

The changes in the top echelon of the Armed Forces is a prelude to a general shakeup in the Mahama administration, with a number of ministers expected to lose their portfolios in the days ahead.

As it is the convention somewhat, the outgoing CDS has been appointed an Ambassador-designate.

Questions are being posed about the sincerity of the president’s appointment of the outgoing CDS as Ambassador-designate, given what befell the former Chief of Staff at the Presidency (Flagstaff House), Prosper Bani. Barely a day after a DAILY GUIDE report about imminent changes in the Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, President John Mahama late yesterday replaced the Chief of the Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Matthew Quashie, with Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sampson Michael-Oje.

A statement about the changes emanating from the Office of the President said AVM Sampson Michael-Oje replaces Vice Admiral Matthew Quashie as the Chief of the Defence Staff, with no explanation about the sudden removal of the CDS and his Naval subordinate, Real Admiral Geoffrey Mawuli Biekro.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that the sudden changes were effected because of the recent embarrassment caused the presidency by the recent dismissal of 501 recruits, mostly NDC foot-soldiers undergoing training at Shai Hills.

The army chief was also pencilled down for removal but for ethnic balance, Major General Richard Opoku-Adusei was spared the rod.

The changes in the top echelon of the Armed Forces is a prelude to a general shakeup in the Mahama administration, with a number of ministers expected to lose their portfolios in the days ahead.

As it is the convention somewhat, the outgoing CDS has been appointed an Ambassador-designate.

Questions are being posed about the sincerity of the president’s appointment of the outgoing CDS as Ambassador-designate, given what befell the former Chief of Staff at the Presidency (Flagstaff House), Prosper Bani.