Security chiefs pledge loyalty to President Mahama

The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Service Chiefs and Heads of Security Services have pledged their utmost support and loyalty to President John Dramani Mahama as he takes up the leadership mantle of the country.

During a courtesy call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, yesterday, the delegation of Security Chiefs said the heads of Ghana's security agencies were committed to supporting the government's reset agenda.

They are the Chief of Defence Staff, General Thomas Oppong-Peprah; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General B. K. Onwona; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Fredrick Asare Kwasi Bekoe; the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu; the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and the Chief Fire Officer, Julius A. Kuunuo.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, General Oppong-Peprah said the security agencies had been working together as a team to keep the nation peaceful and stable.

He assured the President that they would continue their efforts with great zeal to uphold the security and stability of the country.

“Mr President, we are here to join our voices with the good people of Ghana and the international community to congratulate you on the assumption of office as President of the Republic and as the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF),” the CDS said.

“Mr President, we want to assure you of our loyalty, professionalism and dedication. We’ve been working together as a team, meeting all the complex challenges of the security environment. By working together as a team, we’ve been able to keep this country quiet and stable,” General Oppong-Peprah said.

The CDS also assured the President of the team’s support and dedication to duty, promising to help him achieve the objective of resetting Ghana.

“Mr President, I want to assure you that we are going to continue with even greater zeal to ensure that we maintain the security and stability of this country,” General Oppong-Peprah said. 

Threats

President Mahama, who sat and received compliments from the Service Chiefs, said although the last election had cemented the country’s reputation as a leading democracy in Africa, there were still threats to the country’s peace, both internally and externally.

“We still have threats to our peace that we must continue to look at internally and externally. Internally, to do with chieftaincy disputes and some incidents of armed robbery.

“Externally, to do with the threats on our Northern borders and so we cannot let our vigilance down,” he said.

President Mahama called on the security agencies to continue working closely together, as they had been doing, while he set up the Council of State to establish the controlling board for all the services.

“There should not be a vacuum and so you must all continue to work, as the CDS said, zealously to ensure that there is no breach of the peace in the country,” President Mahama entreated.