Mark Woyongo
The Defence Minister Mark Woyongo has revealed that no soldier has shown signs of discontent in the country to warrant a Coup d’etat.
Mr. Woyongo said the morale of soldiers was high due to the impressive provision of equipment to the forces by government.
Some Ghanaians, who have called for vigilance, alleged that the present economic and social conditions in the country could necessitate a Coup d’etat.
However, addressing a section of the troops of the 2 Garrison Command at a durbar at the Takoradi Airforce Base yesterday, Mr. Woyongo noted that even though the country was going through turbulent times, Coup d’état was not the solution.
The Defence Minister, who was on a two-day familiarization visit to the Garrison, indicated that the military had been firm over the past 25 years while the economy had improved.
“I’ve been going round the garrisons interacting with soldiers and I am satisfied there will be no coup because they themselves admit nobody will benefit from a coup,” he insisted.
He commended the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for its immense contribution in curbing illegal mining, illegal felling of trees as well as armed robbery in conjunction with the Police.
He also praised the troops of the Garrison for their high sense of discipline, adding that “discipline is the cornerstone of every good military establishment so I want to urge you to remain disciplined.”
He further called for an improvement in relations between the military, civilians and the media, adding that “the uniform should be a symbol of friendship not a symbol of terror.”
He indicated that over the past five to six years, the Navy was provided with several ships, observing that the Army received armored cars, among others, while the Air Force received a number of aircraft.