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Chief of Army Staff Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah has dismissed rumours suggesting that he turned down an appointment as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) \u2013 a claim that he says has brought him a lot of opprobrium. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Without stating where the attacks on him were coming from, the top army officer told\u00a0soldiers at the Burma Camp on Monday, 15 January 2024: \u201cThe name Oppong-Preprah is stirring stomachs and heads and creating fear in people\u201d, adding: \u201cI don\u2019t understand why and, so, I have been attacked, and they keep attacking me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven this morning just before I got here, a publication was sent to me where it is being indicated that I have refused to accept the appointment of CDS and as a result, there is a stop in the military shakeup,\u201d he cited as an example of the schemes being cooked against him.<\/p>\n The rumours, he said, have led to extreme measures, with some individuals resorting to seeking spiritual intervention to eliminate him.<\/p>\n He asserted: \u201cI have been taken to juju people and all that. We have pictures of it. In fact, it was one of the military police gentlemen who brought me the pictures\u201d.<\/p>\n The CAS, however, sounded unperturbed, saying despite all the attempts to eliminate him spiritually, \u201cI am still standing here, I am not dead and I will not die\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you can\u2019t cope with what I do, just sit down and zip up. That is all,\u201d he advised his detractors in the Monday, 15 January interview.<\/p>\n Clarifying a misconception about his ethnicity, Major General Oppong-Peprah said that people wrongly identify him as an Akyem when he is, in fact, Bono from Dormaa Ahenkro. \u201cThey\u2019ve made me an Akyem. I\u2019m not an Akyem. I\u2019m a Bono. I\u2019m very proud, from Dormaa Ahenkro. We speak \u2018b3 b3 b3 b3\u2019, yes, I love it, you can\u2019t change me\u201d.<\/p>\n Major General Oppong-Peprah suggested that envy over his achievements in the security service might be fuelling perceptions of him as a threat.<\/p>\n However, he emphasised that the successes of the army were a collective achievement, stating: \u201cFor the past four years together, teamwork; we have achieved so much and people are jealous of us. That is all. I did not do it, we did it as an army, together with my staff officers and everyone. Commanding officers team going to Bundase and adding to whatever we are doing over there. It is teamwork, it is not me, Oppong-Preprah so don\u2019t attack me. Anyway, I\u2019m from the armour, you can\u2019t penetrate me, at all\u201d, an exasperated CDS stressed.\u00a0<\/p>\n His public comments come a few weeks after the presidency denied reports of an intended shakeup in the top hierarchy of the army.<\/p>\n The office of the president dismissed as \u201cunfounded speculation\u201d, a social media publication that claimed President Nana Akufo-Addo intended to reshuffle the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces.<\/p>\n A statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Jubilee House, Mr Eugene Arhin, on Thursday, 4 January 2024, denounced the publication that alleged \u201ca deliberate attempt by the presidency to orchestrate politically-motivated changes within the hierarchy of the armed forces with the sole aim of using the military to brutalise citizens during the conduct of the December 7 general elections\u201d.<\/p>\n The publication, alleged further that a meeting was held at the presidency on Tuesday, 2 January 2024, to discuss \u201cthe so-called politically-motivated changes in the Ghana Armed Forces\u201d.<\/p>\n While admitting that the president, indeed, met heads of security agencies at the Jubilee House on that day, the presidency explained that it was a usual \u201cannual feature\u201d on the president\u2019s calendar every New Year.<\/p>\n \u201cAt these meetings, the heads of the security agencies call on the president to offer him their best wishes for the coming year, with the president also using the opportunity to express his appreciation to them for their continued commitment to safeguarding the peace and stability of the nation\u201d, the statement clarified.<\/p>\n The presidency said contrary to the allegations, \u201cno such discussions about changes to the hierarchy of the armed forces were held during the meeting\u201d.<\/p>\n The presidency explained that \u201ca change in the leadership of the armed forces is embarked upon by the president in accordance with the Constitution and well-established conventions devoid of any political considerations\u201d, thus, \u201cany future change, made in this regard, will not be a new phenomenon that should warrant unfounded speculation\u201d.<\/p>\n Jubilee House noted: \u201cThe armed forces is an important institution of state that has over the years, built an enviable reputation for its professionalism in the conduct of its duties, both at national and international levels\u201d, noting: \u201cThe Akufo-Addo-led administration shall continue to guard earnestly, this reputation by ensuring that partisanship is eschewed from the operations of the Ghana Armed Forces\u201d.<\/p>\n The president, according to the statement, \u201cassures Ghanaians that the 2024 general elections will be conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner devoid of electoral violence\u201d, warning: \u201cEntities or people who will attempt to disrupt the elections will be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the country\u201d.<\/p>\n The presidency said: \u201cIn the interest of safeguarding the peace and stability of Ghana, the public is urged to disregard such unfounded speculations and publications aimed at triggering agitations within the rank and file of the armed forces\u201d.<\/p>\n