There is growing concern in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) about the rancour between the Chief Defense Staff (CDS) Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Training, Major General Joseph Aphour, over the latter’s report to President Nana Akufo-Addo, that the country’s military chief, is plotting a coup d’état.
Military insiders, say the brawl between the two senior officers, does not portend well for the GAF and national security, hence the state security apparatus, must with the blessings of the Commander-in-Chief, immediately step in and deal with the matter towards having it resolved.
Many are of the view that, the current grudge between the two senior officers, has created mistrust and tension in the military, which does not augur well for the country and must be investigated.
Others are also of the view that, President Akufo-Addo, should have had Major General Aphour’s claims properly investigated before confronting Lt Gen Oppong-Peprah, on the allegation of his involvement in a coup d’état, however, it is not too late for him to do something about the development.
The Herald on Monday, reported on a confusion within the upper ranks of the GAF, as top officers engaged in a bitter feud marked by accusations and counter-accusations.
Reports available to The Herald, indicate that September 9, 2024, operational briefing for Service Commanders, devolved into chaos, with an atmosphere reminiscent of the biblical betrayal of Jesus Christ by one of His disciples, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.
At the centre of the storm, is the CDS, Lt Gen Oppong-Peprah, who unexpectedly entered the briefing at General Headquarters in Burma Camp, Accra, and accused the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Training, of reporting him to the Commander-in-Chief, for allegedly plotting a coup d’état.
Eyewitnesses described how the atmosphere became tense and silent, following the CDS’s explosive allegations.
Major General Joseph Prince Osei-Owusu, the Chief of Staff (COS), who had been presiding over the meeting for Lt Gen Oppong-Peprah, was forced to abruptly end it, as the situation spiralled into disorder.
During the confrontation, Maj. Gen. Aphour attempted to respond but was shut down by Lt Gen Oppong-Peprah, who ordered him to “shut up” in the presence of the Navy, Army and Ghana Air Force Commanders.
Sources inside the meeting revealed that Lt Gen Oppong-Peprah, in his previous role as Chief of Army Staff, had stationed soldiers from the 64 Infantry Regiment to provide VVIP protection to various high-profile figures, including the President, Vice-President, Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Ministers of State, Presidential staffer, some parliamentarians and family members of the President.
The Herald learnt that the root of the conflict, allegedly stems from claims that Maj. Gen. Aphour had informed President Akufo-Addo that Lt Gen Oppong-Peprah had built a clandestine network among the soldiers providing VVIP protection, allegedly intending to use them to stage a coup.
Some sources say that Aphour made these accusations during Lt Gen Oppong-Peprah’s tenure as Army Commander, hoping that the President would remove Oppong-Peprah and promote him instead. Others claim the allegations surfaced more recently.
The meeting, originally delayed by the CDS due to his attendance at a presidential meeting, took a dramatic turn when he entered and dropped the bombshell in the presence of the other senior officers, including Major General BK Onwona, the Army Commander formerly an aide-de-camp (ADC) to the President, leaving the GAF leadership in disarray.
Interestingly, while some told The Herald, that Major General Aphour’s story to President Akufo-Addo, happened when Lt Gen Oppong-Peprah, was the Army Commander, and he was hoping that the Commander in Chief, was going to remove him and hand him – Aphour- the job, others told The Herald that the allegation against Oppong-Peprah, was made recently.
The CDS, who felt betrayed by Maj. Gen. Aphour, was heard shouting at the top of his voice, reminding the General Officer Commanding, Central Command, Kumasi of how he saved him, referencing his scandal about extorting money and the sale of Peacekeeping slots to soldiers at over US$8000 in connivance with a certain Warrant Officer Class One (WO1), Sule.
The extortion case was investigated by the Defense Intelligence with a recommendation for Military court-martial by the officer Brigadier-General Foster Okae-Yeboah, but both Lt Gen. Oppong-Peprah and Defense Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, stepped in to scuttle the military trial, and rather pushed Aphour’s promotion which at the time was stalled by the scandal.
On the day of the confrontation, the CDS, was said to have delayed the regular Monday Ops Briefing, because he had been summoned by President Akufo-Addo.
But he eventually surfaced at the tail end of the briefing and requested to make some comments. It was at this stage that he threw the bombshell in the presence of Aphour.
The Herald has received multiple messages from its military insiders giving the same account of the chaotic event between the two senior officers.
One read;
“Breaking news
Breaking news
Breaking news
Have you heard about the konkonsa Joe Aphour made to the CinC that Tom’s Deployment in the GAF is geared towards Coup detat. I am told Tom broke the news at ops briefing last Monday.
The second message also narrated; “Good morning, senior sir
I guess you have monitored developments in Burma Camp this week involving Tom and Aphour.
Aphour reported Tom to the CinC of alleged coup plot using deployments country wide as his evidence.
The CinC informed Tom.
At a Monday’s Ops Briefing, which delayed Tom to attend because he was with the CinC.
But Tom eventually surfaced at the tail end of the briefing. He requested to make some comments.
It was at this stage that he threw the bombshell in the presence of Aphour.
Dead heaven silence engulfed the briefing room.
I have cross checked the development with Tom. He confirmed”.
Lt Gen. Oppong-Peprah has a history of emotional outbursts. Ahead of his appointment as a CDS, the then Army Commander addressed soldiers at Burma Camp on Monday, January 15, dismissed the growing speculations about his alleged rejection of the CDS appointment as “unfounded.”
He also expressed concern over the “unwarranted attacks” directed at him, saying “The name Oppong-Preprah is stirring stomachs and heads and creating fear in people. I don’t understand why and so I have been attacked and they keep attacking me.
“Even this morning just before I got here, a publication was sent to me where it is being indicated that I have refused to accept the appointment of CDS and as a result, there is a stop in the military shakeup.”
Major General Oppong-Peprah, emphasized his resilience and defiance in the face of these accusations: “I have been taken to juju people and all that. We have pictures of it. In fact, it was one of the military police gentlemen who brought me pictures. But I am still standing here, I am not dead and I will not die. If you can’t cope with what I do, just sit down and zip up. That is all.”
Attributing the hostility towards him to jealousy, the General highlighted the army’s collective achievements under his leadership:
“For the past four years together, teamwork we have achieved so much and people are jealous of us. That is all. I did not do it, we did it as an army together with my staff officers and everyone. Commanding officers team going to Bundase and adding to whatever we are doing over there. It is teamwork, it is not me, Oppong-Preprah, so don’t attack me,” he added.
He denied being Akyem, but a proud Bono man from Dormaa-Ahenkro, saying he is a man made of “Amour who cannot be penetrated”.
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