Military has no business in partisan politics – Former Defence Minister

A former deputy Defense Minister under the President Akufo-Addo’s led administration, Major Retired Derrick Oduro, has indicated that it is unconstitutional for the military rank in the country to indulge themselves into partisan politics.

According to him, partisan politics is neither the day-to-day business nor mandate of the military service as stated in the country’s 1992 Constitution.

His comments come on the back of President Akufo-Addo’s plea to the military to remain loyal to Ghana’s constitution in the face of the current hardship the country is facing.

Reacting to the development on the Anopa Bofo morning show, he described the President’s call as apt noting that the constitution demands nothing but loyalty from the Ghana Armed Forces to the government of the day.

He admitted seeing nothing wrong with the president’s call because he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces thus it was just an appeal to remind the military of their responsibilities following calls for coup d’état.

“If we all take a look at the constitution, the Ghana Arm Forces are demanded to remain loyal to the government of the day. Any government in power since you were voted for democratically, the Armed Forces has no business apart from being loyal to the state.

“So sometimes people do not understand why the military listen to whatever the government of the day does …. but they [military] know themselves that partisan politics is not their business.

“So, I emphasize that partisan politics is not their business at all, it is for the politicians, their core mandate is to perform their duties, Bankers are performing their task, Teachers doing their work, Fire Service are also doing theirs same as every other sector is doing. So, the military’s duty is to remain loyal and defend the government of the day”, Major Retired Derrick Oduro explained.

According to the Retired Military Officer, the Arm Forces is awakened due to the level of education the leadership has attained therefore they will never scribe to the unconstitutional call amongst persons since they are much concerned that coup d’état has become a thing of the past.

He reiterated that irrespective of economic woes in the country the Armed Forces “has no business apart from being loyal to the state.”

The former Lawmaker for Nkoranza North Constituency, used the opportunity and entreated people agitating for military takeover to refrain from such to enable the country to enjoy its peace.