Rawlings loses military guard

Rawlings has to accept a civilian guard

By Kwaku Sakyi-Addo in Accra

Ghana's former president Jerry Rawlings lost his military guard this week in a move that has angered him and his opposition National Democratic Congress.

The NDC failed to block the move to replace soldiers with 12 civilian police.

They said that Mr Rawlings' safety was compromised as the policemen did not know him whereas the soldiers had been with him for 20 years.

President Kufuor wants to demilitarise civilian institutions

The government says that the plan is simply part of their effort to demilitarise civilian institutions.

Government spokeswoman Ms Elizabeth Ohene said President John Kufuor's own security guards were from the police service.

She said the government would not accept a situation where 24 soldiers from one unit were permanently outside the control of their commander.

Negotiations

Ms Ohene said the government sent a delegation on five occasions to Mr Rawlings to discuss the matter with him, but he never warmed to the change.

The opposition NDC has meanwhile issued a statement protesting against the measure, and demanded that Mr Rawlings' military guards be restored.

The NDC said Mr Rawlings had known his military guards for about 20 years, and that it was inappropriate for him to be protected by people he and his family were not familiar with.

Court action

The NDC said the government's action was in contempt of the supreme court because they had filed a writ challenging the action as unconstitutional.

They quoted a portion of the constitution that states that facilities available to a president may not be varied to his disadvantage in his lifetime.

Ms Ohene, on the other hand, said the authorities did not see any disadvantage in being protected by police.

She said the government would not back down.

When I drove by Mr. Rawlings' residence there were a dozen or so armed policemen across the street.

The policemen told me that the former president had been receptive towards them. He had even invited them inside the residence, but they had chosen to be stationed outside.

They said Mr Rawlings had offered snacks to those on duty, and that there was, in their words, "no problem."