Military’s failure in galamsey fight due to political interference – Former Task Force commander
A former Commander of the Anti-galamsey Task Force under John Dramani Mahama’s administration, Captain John Kwame Jabari (Rtd), has stated that political control of the military in the anti-galamsey task force has made it difficult for the military to stand its ground when dealing illegal miners, which he described as “terrorists of the environment.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Ultimate FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Mr. Jabari said that the politics of the land which has permeated every fabric of the country is making it difficult for the military to function professionally.
He cited the involvement of the military in the fight against galamsey and the poor showing of the once respected institution; the military.
The ex-soldier lamented how political machinations have weakened the military and has forced it to kowtow to the manner of rot in society.
“Let’s talk about galamsey. If the military misbehaves, who taught them that? It’s the politician who started it. Let me give you a clear example; you send a military man to go and do a job, to go and fight galamsey, the military man is doing work as it is supposed to be done, then the politician starts giving you conditions, he is the political head, he is in charge of policy, you are in charge of implementing what the politician has given to you.
The inter-ministerial committee, is it headed by a military man or a politician? So, if the politicians tell you that we are going there and we are not going the other way, what can the military man do? Can a military man tell him that I am the leader, I will choose where I want to go? No!” He explained.
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He decried the present state of affairs that has left the military at the beck and call of politicians.
“The military have become puppets in such committees. The military is a respected institution but they are not in political leadership. There is a difference between the military leadership and the political leadership. The political leadership is always in charge. We take instructions from the political leadership,” he noted.
He questioned why Senior military officers were not made committee heads but always politicians.
“Have you heard of a military man being a leader of any inter-ministerial committee? The politicians choose how we fight galamsey. They are picky in the fight and that is where corruption starts,” he pointed out.
“The issue of NPP soldiers and NDC soldiers is a problem. NDC police, and NPP police, are the issue. When you resist a political authority’s policy you are removed from a committee and their own party soldier or police is brought in there to kowtow to their demands,” he revealed even further.
The politicisation of the security agencies has been seen by analysts as dangerous for Ghana’s democracy. Political Scientists have argued that the practice weakens the security agencies and their ability to perform their mandate effectively and efficiently.
