President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged the rank and file of the military to remain “Patriotic and loyal” to Ghana’s Republican Constitution in the face of the nation’s current difficulties.
The President said this in a speech he passionately delivered in front of troops during his Kumasi Tour at Idris Barracks in the Ashanti Region, where the President was booed by Adum Kejetia market men and women who were previously his core supporters.
The President’s choice of Idris Barracks to deliver his most iconic speech is telling.
Camp Idris is named after the late WOI Idris of the 48 Engineer Regiment who was shot dead in 1983 during an abortive attempt to overthrow the Revolution of 31 December 1981.
Speaking about the difficulties the country is facing, President Akufo-Addo urged the military to support him to steer the nation out of the present challenges with loyalty.
President Akufo-Addo urged the security agency to remain “excellent patriots, excellent ambassadors of the security agencies and excellent citizens of our country”, saying he is very proud to serve as their Commander in Chief.
“We are going through a difficult time in the history of our country …. We are going through a difficult time in our economy. We also going through a difficult time as far as security is concerned” the President told the men and women in uniform.
“On the economy, we are all aware of the events that have taken place in the last year which have brought a lot of things under strain. We are making every effort in negotiations that are taking place with foreign partners to put our economy back in a good space. Very soon the difficulties that confront our economy are going to be things of the past.
The President went on:
“I want to encourage you to continue the good work that you’re doing for our country. I encourage you to stand firm in your loyalty to the Republic, your loyalty to the Constitution of our nation so that the orderly, peaceful development of our country which is the only way that can guarantee the future prosperity we are all working for can come about…. So that these [present] generations of Ghanaians will leave as our legacy, that even when things were difficult in Ghana, we all held together under our Republican institutions and our constitution to find a way to a better future for our nation. I am confident that we can do it and I am counting on you to help me do it.” The President Ended.
