Private legal practitioner Nana Yaw Osei has dismissed concerns about instability following recent security leadership changes, arguing such transitions are routine under Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
In a Facebook post, he cited historical precedents to counter claims that replacing Service Chiefs disrupts national stability
Historical Context
Osei highlighted past presidential transitions where new leaders seamlessly replaced security heads without incident.
Notably, Nana Yaw Osei Esq. revealed that Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDSs) and Inspectors-General of Police (IGPs) have been removed since 2001, setting a precedent for peaceful transitions.
With the Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDSs), Nana Yaw Osei Esq emphasized“In the February 2001, CDS Lt. Gen. Ben Akafia was removed office after Mr. JA Kufuor took office in January 2001;
CDS Maj.- General Joseph Boakye Danquah was retired in January 2009 after Prof. JEA Mills had taken office as president of the Republic;
Mr. NAD Akufo-Addo in February 2017 removed from office CDS Air Vice Marshall Michael Samson-Oje;”
Furthermore, he highlighted the changes in Inspectors-General of Police (IGPs) since 2001, noting that, “Mr. John Kufuor in January 2001 ‘removed’ IGP Peter Nanfuri from office;
John Mills in January 2009 removed Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong from office as IGP;
Nana Akufo-Addo in January 2017 ‘sacked’ John Kudalor in January 2017;”
He questioned why President Mahama’s March 2024 removal of CDS Brig.-Gen. Thomas Oppong-Peprah and potential replacement of IGP George Akuffo Dampare should be controversial.
“What’s wrong if John Mahama should relieve IGP George Akuffo Dampare from office in March 2024?”, he quizzes.
He, however, stressed that “Nothing new has happened. It’s the norm”.
Osei emphasized that security chiefs understand leadership transitions are standard practice. “No historical evidence supports claims of instability post-replacements,” he wrote, urging critics to focus on policy continuity rather than personnel changes.
Source: www.kumasimail.com/ Kwadwo Owusu
