The Ghanaian Minaret

Accra: A high-ranking military delegation led by Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Thomas Oppong-Peprah, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), has paid a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, at his New Fadama residence.

The purpose of the visit was to officially pay homage to the senior cleric and condole with the scholar over the loss of his wife.

According to the Ghana Peace Journal, the delegation was made up of principal staff officers of the GAF’s general headquarters.

They included Chief of Staff (COS), Major General (Maj. Gen.) Joseph Prince Osei-Owusu; Deputy COS (DCOS), Operations and Training, Maj. Gen. Joseph Aphour; DCOS, Logistics, Rear Admiral Samuel Agyenim-Boateng; and Director General (DG) Public Relations, Brig Gen. Eric Aggrey-Quashie.

The rest were Brigadier General (Brig Gen.) Assiama, DG Human Resources; Lieutenant Colonel Sena Affanyi, Protocol Officer, CDS Office; Squadron Leader Doegah, Assistant Director, Personnel Services; and Lieutenant (Ghana Navy) MM Saeed, Assistant Director, Naval Religious Affairs.

In his remarks, the CDS assured Ghanaians of the military’s commitment to maintaining tranquility and security by performing its duties of protecting the country from within and along its borders.
He urged the Chief Imam to continuously pray and give good counsel as Ghana prepared for its ninth general election in the 4th Republic.

Lt Gen. Oppong-Peprah said he had longed to visit the National Chief Imam since his appointment on January 24, 2024, and subsequent assumption of office on February 1, 2024.

However, he said preparations and commitments to equally important schedules had only allowed him to visit on the most practicable day.

He noted that his visit was not only to see Sheikh Sharubutu as a senior statesman but also as a relative to forbearers who wore the military uniform of Ghana.

The Chief Imam’s connection to Ghana’s military dates back to a grandfather named Mohammed Dan Barno, who was an officer of the Gold Coast Constabulary.

He died and was buried at Sampa in the Western Region of Ghana.

The Chief Imam prayed and advised the CDS to be patient, stating that, whenever one is elevated to a high office, one would be subjected to all forms of trials, hence the need to be extremely patient and tolerant.

“Indeed, patience will be the foundation of your further success, for as a leader, there are many things that you would see but pretend not to have seen, hear, and pretend not to have heard. When you are patient, you will find God close to you to help,” he said.

Spokesperson to the National Chief Imam and Board Member of the National Peace Council, Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, recalled that at a point in time, the thought of conferring an honorary rank on the Old Man was considered, just like the rank of Colonel was conferred on one Robert Gardner in the late Brig Gen. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong era, and urged that the idea be resuscitated, to which the CDS promised to work on.