Hot SourceThe appointment of General (Rtd.) Thomas Oppong-Peprah, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), as Ghana’s Deputy High Commissioner to Canada, has sparked a wave of mixed reactions across the country.
Adding to the controversy is a damaging report on a US$10.5 million military procurement of 53-year-old Soviet-era Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), specifically BTR-70 models, which was submitted to President John Dramani Mahama two weeks ago. It raised serious concerns about corruption, negligence, and possible criminality at the highest levels of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Interestingly, while some have described the appointment as an honourable continuation of national service, others believe it diminishes the rank and legacy of a four-star general, a rare distinction in Ghana’s military history.
A growing number of critics have also questioned the political implications of the appointment, given that General Oppong Peprah served as CDS under the Akufo-Addo administration, but is now taking a diplomatic role under President John Dramani Mahama’s government. They suggested he played a “double political game”.
Most of the reaction has been on social media, particularly Facebook, with one open letter said to be from Friends of Oppong Peprah urging him to “reject the Deputy High Commissioner appointment to Canada”, insisting it is “a call to protect the dignity of the Ghana Armed Forces”.
The summary report authorized by President Mahama had set the stage for either a Military Board of Inquiry or a full-scale criminal investigation by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), or the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
The military under the Akufo-Addo administration was reportedly plagued by widespread corruption, characterised by pointless procurements, inflated costs, and the purchase of rusted, inferior, and discarded equipment. Some of the items, particularly the 20 BTR-70 APCs valued at US$10.5 million, were described as “unserviceable”, having been bought from a military junkyard in the former Soviet Union.
The BTR-70 APCs, bought from Azerbaijan, were deemed by military insiders to be dangerously unfit for operational deployment. Investigators found that the vehicles were 53 years old at the time of purchase.
In an effort to hide their poor condition, the vehicles were reportedly taken to the Base Workshop at Burma Camp, Accra. Upon arrival, they were sprayed with UN peacekeeping colours. President Nana Akufo-Addo subsequently commissioned them before the GAF Acceptance Board had even assessed their operational fitness.
Brigadier General Ziblim Ayorogoh, a former Commissioner of CEPS and Military Police Officer, led the investigation, interviewing key personnel, including two former Chiefs of Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama and General Thomas Oppong Peprah. Insiders told The Herald that the summary report has indicted both men.
Others questioned included Major General Nicholas Peter Andoh, Major General Richard Djani, and Brigadier General K. K. Kumi, who was the Director-General of Logistics at Army Headquarters.
The Base Workshop team, the Armoured Brigade Headquarters, and an Accra-based businessman, Alhaji Tafiq a major supplier to the GAF, were also interrogated.
Military sources suggest that General Oppong Peprah played a significant role in influencing the US$10.5 million procurement, having personally inspected the discarded vehicles in Azerbaijan.
The investigation was triggered by a petition from Ola Durojaiye, also known as Kwame Danquah, following a series of publications earlier this year by The Herald.
After completing interviews with all relevant officers, Brigadier General Ayorogoh submitted his findings to the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong, who reviewed them before forwarding the report to the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.
President Mahama was expected to review the report with his team of experts before deciding whether to establish a full Military Board of Inquiry or initiate a formal criminal investigation through EOCO, the Police CID, NIB, or other investigative authorities.
The case renewed public concern over military procurement practices, highlighting the risks of waste, corruption, and the acquisition of unsafe equipment for soldiers.
The armoured vehicles were described as mostly rusted and perforated with gaping holes. Their transmissions had leaked and ceased to function, while the weapons systems malfunctioned. Oil leaks and other defects rendered them unsafe and unfit for any form of military deployment, raising serious questions about the decision to commit US$10.5 million to such a purchase.
UN officers in Sudan, where some of the vehicles were deployed, flagged them as unsuitable for peacekeeping operations and consequently refused to reimburse the Ghana Armed Forces for the equipment used on the mission.
Senior officers, including the former Chief of Defence Staff and other high-ranking personnel who played various roles in the importation of the rusted and immovable vehicles, have been indicted by the investigation, according to The Herald’s military insiders.
Alhaji Tafiq is said to have used multiple companies, including Akanni Logistics and Ramelsco Company Ltd, among others, with different registration details and directors, to secure procurement contracts from the GAF. The Herald’s investigations revealed that he supplied the APCs in question.
Alhaji Tafiq was also behind the 2024 supply of five bulletproof Toyota Land Cruisers meant as retirement benefits for service chiefs. President Mahama has since retrieved the vehicles from the retired senior military officers.
Although Ramelsco Company Ltd had initially won the bid to supply the vehicles for US$1.3 million, the contract was later awarded to Akanni Logistics, which supplied them at US$1.425 million, an excess of US$125,000 per vehicle.
General Oppong Peprah reportedly received a luxurious black bulletproof 2023 Lexus LX 600, with chassis number JTJPB7CX2P4023225, as a kickback from Tafiq’s company.
Brigadier General Ziblim Bawa Ayorogoh, currently the Deputy Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, is described as a seasoned Military Police Officer. He has served as Commissioner of CEPS and Provost Marshal.
His investigation, which involved direct interviews with all the officers linked to the 53-year-old armoured vehicle acquisition, is now before the Commander-in-Chief.
President Mahama was expected to consult his team before determining whether to establish a full inquiry or refer the case for criminal investigation by EOCO, the Police CID, NIB, or other investigative bodies for possible prosecution.
On the appointment as deputy ambassador to Canada, a letter shared by Joseph Ohene-Dei and dated 8 October 2025 stated: “While we recognise the prerogative of the Government to appoint persons to diplomatic positions, we find this particular appointment deeply inappropriate, demeaning, and inconsistent with the high esteem and honour traditionally accorded to former Chiefs of Defence Staff.
Historically, it said, all former CDS officers of the Ghana Armed Forces have been granted substantive ambassadorial roles, reflecting their distinguished service to the nation and the prestige of the uniform they wore with dignity. To appoint General Oppong Peprah as a deputy rather than a substantive High Commissioner is not only a departure from precedent but also a profound act of disrespect to the institution of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Indeed, Lieutenant General Ben Akafia, who was JJ Rawlings’ last CDS from October 1996 to February 2001, was appointed to Egypt by John Kufuor as an Ambassador, while Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, who served under President Akufo-Addo as CDS, became Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria.
The letter argued that beyond the institutional slight, this appointment causes a personal embarrassment to General Oppong Peprah, a man who served his country with unmatched discipline, loyalty, and honour. It sends a negative signal to serving officers that no matter how meritoriously one serves, one’s loyalty and service can be diminished to superficial gestures.
“We therefore urge General Oppong Peprah to respectfully decline this appointment in the interest of preserving the dignity of the Ghana Armed Forces and the integrity of his illustrious career”.
“Should financial considerations or post-retirement welfare be a factor influencing his decision, we, Friends of Oppong Peprah, stand fully prepared to mobilise the necessary resources to support him in retirement, so that he may retire in honour, as he would have done within the ranks of the noble Ghana Armed Forces.”
Journalist Gordon Asare-Bediako also commented: “Immediate past CDS, General Oppong Peprah, appointed as Deputy High Commissioner to Canada? He holds the enviable record as the first serving military officer to be decorated as a four-star general. Perhaps his latest appointment could be another record. Ah well. Choices.”
A staunch NPP member, Roni Nicol, tagging 59 others, asked: “Are you aware that only three individuals have achieved the rank of four-star general throughout our history? 1. General Acheampong, Head of State. 2. General Ankrah, Head of State. 3. General Oppong Peprah, who has been appointed Deputy Head of Mission in Canada. In my opinion, this position is beneath his credentials, and he merits at least a full ambassadorial role.”
Sankofa Tete Danso, believed to be a member of the ruling NDC, wrote: “It has truly shocked them! The NDC will always lead for them to follow. And this is precisely the moment my respect for President Mahama soared to new heights. This is legacy leadership in its purest form.
“As for General Oppong Peprah, every nation deserves a man of his calibre, selfless, disciplined, and devoted to duty. When one is called to serve their country, the position itself matters little; what matters is the heart and integrity with which one serves.
“General Oppong Peprah’s record as former CDS speaks for itself; his vision, reforms, and quiet but firm leadership remain evident across the ranks. Now, destiny calls him to Canada, and I have no doubt he will deliver with the same excellence and dignity.
“And Uncle Dotsei Malor? An ambassador at large in every sense of the word. His wisdom and diplomacy continue to make us proud. Thank you, JM, for your foresight, and congratulations to all the appointees. Go forth and make Ghana proud.”
General Oppong Peprah’s appointment was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, PhD, dated 11 September 2025, and addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
President Mahama, through Callistus Mahama, asked that the necessary steps be taken to facilitate the appointments.
Notable among the appointees are former Chief of Defence Staff General Thomas Oppong Peprah, appointed as Deputy Head of Mission to Canada, and former Presidential Communications Adviser to President Mahama, Ben Dotsei Malor, appointed as Deputy Head of Mission to the United States of America.
Other highly esteemed Ghanaians appointed include Dr Palmer Appiah-Gyan (Germany), Francisca Patoah Gyarko (Switzerland), Harry Zevon, PhD (China), Sulemana Ibun Iddrissu (India), Aquinas Quansah (United Kingdom), George Harrison (South Korea), and Jamilatu Amadu (United Arab Emirates).
Also appointed are Emmanuel Netsey-Afedo (Netherlands), Sophia Karen Edem Ackuaku (Italy), Francis Thalamus Doe (Japan), Sanni Jajah (Saudi Arabia), Kwadwo Agyei-Dwomor (Türkiye), Emmanuel Kamban Panyan (Russia), Alhaji Mohammed Seidu Issah Abah (South Africa), Mohammed Ibn Abass (Egypt), and Rev Dr Isaac Clive Mould (Denmark).
The appointments, according to the Presidency, form part of ongoing efforts to enhance Ghana’s diplomatic engagement and deepen bilateral relations with strategic partners across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
President Mahama, in the communication, extended his highest regards to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and directed that the appointees’ processes be completed promptly to enable them to assume duty.
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