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Ghana Army: Is it ‘useless’?

Wikipedia defines “useful” as able to be used for practical purpose in several ways.

Synonyms for “useful” include beneficial, rewarding, productive, valuable, helpful and utilitarian.

It defines “useless” also as not fulfilling or not expected to achieve the intended purpose or desired outcome.

Synonyms for “useless” include purposeless, hopeless, fruitless, broken, unusable, impotent, junky, unprofitable and ineffectual.

Readers, Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor is reported to have described the Ghana Army as “useless” in his social media post, even though he has not been provoked in any way, by the disciplined Ghana Army.

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And who is Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor? He is said to be the ring leader of the FixtheCountry Movement.

Reportedly, the FixtheCountry Movement is a youthful Ghanaian group that claims to be non-partisan and non-political, which aims at mobilising thousands of Ghanaians for series of demonstrations, for a so-called new Ghana.

But many Ghanaians strongly believe that “the FixtheCountry Movement is a creation of the opposition National Democratic Congress and clothed with the orchestration to destabilise the Akufo-Addo led government”, thus, with the intent to making it unpopular, so that the NDC could ride on its back to power, come 2024.

Others also say:”The cat is now out of the bag because the ring leader of the movement, Mawuse Oliver Barker-Vormawor, was a legal and policy adviser to President John Mahama’s administration.

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“And that it was under President Mahama’s led government that Ghana’s economy got rotten.”

The ring leader of the moment, was last Monday, (February 14,  2022), put before the Ashaiman District Court and ‘slapped’ with treason felony in accordance with Section 182(b) of the Criminal and other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

He was arrested last Friday at the Kotoka International Airport on his arrival from London and was detained by the Tema Regional Police Command.

Barker-Vormawor’s arrest and prosecution is in relation to a social media post in which he threatened to stage a coup if the Electronic Transaction Levy Bill (E-levy), which is currently under consideration in Parliament, is passed into law.

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The police insist that Barker-Vormawor’s social media post “contained a clear statement of intent, with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.”

Without any provocation from the Ghana Army, he described the Ghana Army as “useless”.

An army within the military set-up, is a ground force or land force. It is a fighting force that fights primarily on land.

In some countries, such as France and China, the term “army”, especially in its plural form, “armies”, has the broader meaning of armed forces as a whole, while retaining the colloquial sense of land forces.

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To differentiate the colloquial army from the formal concept of military force, the term is qualified. For instance, in France, the land force is known as Land Army while the land and space force, is also referred to as Air and Space Army.

The naval force, although not using the term “army”, is also included in the broad sense of the term, armies,thus, the French Navy is an integral component of the collective French Armies (French Armed Forces) under the Ministry of the Armies.

Readers, a similar pattern is seen in China and other countries. So, in effect, one cannot tell whether Barker-Vormawor was referring to the colloquial Ghana Army or the Ghana Armed Forces.

A standing army is a permanent, often professional institution. It is composed of full-time soldiers who may be either career soldiers or conscripts.

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Standing armies tend to be better equipped, better trained and better prepared for emergencies, defensive deterrence and particularly wars.

Mr. Kwame Jantuah, Chief Executive Officer of Accra-based African Energy Consortium Limited, says:”Barker-Vormawor, being a Constitutional Lawyer should know that the right to free speech comes with responsibilities.

“You don’t just get up and say things and just walk free because free speech comes with limitations.”

Mr. Kwame Jantuah charges:”Nobody should even think about a coup in Ghana because it won’t help us. The situation we are in today, will be 10 times worse if there is a coup in Ghana.”

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Readers, I am rather concerned about Barker-Vormawor’s description of the Ghana Army as “useless”. Is it because they have “refused” to assist him to organise his coup?

Is it also the case that the Ghana Army has threatened to deal ruthlessly with Barker-Vormawor and his FixtheCountry Movement, should they make any attempt to derail  the democratic and economic progress made so far by our country?

Really, what at all incensed and “raptured” the “bile” of Barker-Vormawor to describe the Ghana Army as “useless”?

Readers, can anyone contemplate what was raking the conscience of Barker-Vormawor to have described the Ghana Army as “useless”, besides his coup making hallucinations?

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Contact email/ WhatsApp of author:

asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)

By G. Frank Asmah

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The Prophet part 2

Some young men queing for visas
Some young men queing for visas

“I can see in the spirit, that some of you have been trading for years without seeing any mean­ingful profits, some young women have been disappointed by men who have either abandoned them and left for foreign lands and forgotten about them, or stopped sending money for the upkeep of their wives and children.

I can see young men who are desperate for visas to travel abroad but have either been duped by visa contractors or refused at the embas­sies. From tomorrow, I assure you, the visas will be given.

Young women, I have news for you. You will receive telephone calls, and you will hear very good news. Handsome young men with money in their pockets will come and marry you, and take care of you. Traders, you will get big business and big profits from today. From today, you will see that I am a true prophet who has come to deliver you.”

Shouts of “Amen,” “thank you Prophet” and “I receive it” greeted his sermon. After a final prayer, he asked the congregation to come early the following day, and bring others, because there would be many testimonies.

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There would also be “special anointing” for great miracles. Although he did not ask for an offering, most of the people came and dropped notes, and coins at the “pulpit.” When they left, Antobam counted the money.

“GH¢900!” he almost shouted, ‘and I did not even ask for an offer­ing. This is fantabulous!’ Going to the Nana Kofi Broni shrine, he told himself, was a very wise move.

He started making plans……He had to choose a few assistants who would carry out his orders……. He had to hire some chairs as soon as possible……He had to find a suit­able piece of land and, if possible, build his own church……. He had to start looking for a nice car, befitting the status of a popular preacher …… And, most importantly, he had to select two, three or four nice, young women to take care of his needs, apart from the servants who would cook, wash, iron and do other errands for him.

Abruptly, he told himself, this hungry, scruffy Kukurantumi boy was being transformed into a man of power and money, with some of the most beautiful women in town at his beck and call. Wow!

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After a shower and supper, he shut the door to the very small room that served as his bedroom and dropped on the bed. Almost immediately, the shrill sounds, like whispers, began.

This time he did not express any fears. He realised to his great sur­prise that even though the sounds were not in the form of any lan­guage, he could understand them.

Tomorrow there will be testimo­nies……they will give money……. some rich people are being prepared …….they will bring big money ………. we will give them what they want, and they will bring money ……. big money …….big, big money……the women will also come, a number of them. ‘

He went to sleep smiling and whis­pering to himself, ‘big, big money, and women!’

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He woke up at 5 and took a shower. After a breakfast of tea and several slices of bread he set off. On reaching the venue he saw to his great surprise that the place was full.

Very full, and quite a number of people rushed to embrace him and give him the wonderful news. The excited people narrated the testi­monies about big sales, telephone calls from relatives directing them to go to Western Union, and impo­tent husbands who had miraculously rediscovered their magic powers.

He was truly glad that Nana Kofi Broni’s magic had already started working, but most of his attention was focused on the ladies in the congregation. He noticed to his great delight that some of them were really nice. I must start mak­ing my selection, he told himself. Today!

“Give a mighty clap offering to the great, mighty one for his won­ders among us!” he started, and the response was very big.

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“I said yesterday that you were going to see signs and wonders, and I am very happy that my word has been fulfilled. Even though we have taken allowed one hour for testimo­nies, many more of you would like to testify.

Tomorrow, I promise you that there will be ample time. I will only preach a short sermon. The rest of the time will be taken up by consul­tations, after which I will give direc­tions on what to do to ensure that you defeat your enemies, secure your marriage and, most important­ly, continue increasing your profits in your business.” His sermon was interspersed with ecstatic shouts of “Amen,” “it is true,” “God bless you” and “I receive it.”

His final word was emphatic; “Big miracles are coming your way. Keep attending church, and don’t forget to give thanks to God.”

By Ekow de Heer

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Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship launches project to transform young lives

• Members of the Full Gospel Businness Fellowship
• Members of the Full Gospel Businness Fellowship

The Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI) Ghana has launched the Senior High Schools and Colleges Project (SCP) aimed at empowering and transforming the lives of young people.

Speaking at the launch, Professor Mike Ocquaye, the former Speaker of Parliament, emphasised the need to catch them young and train them as the current times were challenging.

He lauded the project, calling on all to support it, saying “In fact, it’s very important to catch them young, train them, lead them, guide them, and men­tor them because the times are indeed rough,” Prof. Ocquaye said.

Mr Ekow Egyir Dadson, the Director, Schools and Colleges Directorate, stated that since its inception in 2018, the SCP had reached over 70 educational institutions with countless testimonies of transformation.

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“We began with the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) Legon, and now in 2024, we have visited 74 schools and impacted the lives of over 100,000 students, some of whom were personally mentored and now have graduated from the universities.”

He explained that the SCP, a vision by FGBMFI Ghana, was a bold outreach pro­gramme designed to call young people to Christ, train and equip them for the future.

He cited testimony-sharing, mentor­ship, career guidance, entrepreneurship and counseling as some of the unique approaches to be used in reaching out to the targeted students.

Mr Emmanuel Baba Mahama, the National President of the FGBMFI Ghana, launched the SCP Manual, which would help the FGBMFI Zonal Family Chapters across Ghana in order to adopt schools and colleges within their catchment areas.

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The Schools and Colleges project is making a great impact; we have had first-hand testimonies from school heads, teachers, and students (mentees) about the SCP. This project has come to stay, Mr Baba Mahama assured.

He, therefore, called for more vol­unteers and partners to help the SCP shape the next generation of leaders and citizens.

Findings by the FGBMFI revealed that Ghana’s senior high schools, colleges, and university students face growing challenges like addictions, indiscipline, poor academic performance, pornogra­phy, homosexuality, broken homes, and a lack of godly guidance.

That had been a concern to many parents and society, “but the FGBMFI believes there is hope to rescue and re­store these young students,” Mr Mahama said. –GNA

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