The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has dismissed media reports it is preparing ammunitions for possible military intervention in the election stalemate in the Ivory Coast.
This follow reports of the return to Ghana of some 107 armoured cars from Chad with sections of the media interpreting it to mean possible preparations for military intervention in the Ivory Coast.
But Director of Communication at the GAF, Col Mbah Atintande said the rumours of Ghana preparing for a fight in the Ivory Coast are totally untrue.
He said Ghana’s position on possible military intervention in the Ivory Coast is known to everybody, explaining that the return of the armoured vehicles were routine delivery of ammunition used by Ghana’s forces in conflict areas.
President John Mills who is Commander-In-Chief of the GAF had stated that Ghana will not commit troops to any intervention force in the Ivory Coast if it becomes necessary for ECOWAS to apply a military option to oust intransigent Laurent Gbagbo from office.
It is however not clear if the country will assist in any other military strategy if the use of force becomes necessary.
Col Atintande told Joy News the return to Ghana of the armoured cars is merely a coincidence and has nothing to do with the Ivory Coast.
“We have armoured personnel carriers; we have different types of vehicles for patrols and troop carrying vehicles as well; we have water tankers, generators all kinds of vehicles and equipment that are required to sustain the force and the mission.”
“…With the major equipment when the mission ends the equipment reverts to the country that has provided them. Our personnel came back in December but then it takes time to backload our equipment. So the equipment just arrived here a few days ago and once the mission has withdrawn, we take back the equipment,” he said.
He added that the GAF has nothing to hide in terms of military action in the Ivory Coast.
“We couldn’t have left those equipment in Chad because they are our equipment and everybody is leaving and we can’t leave the equipment there because we have a problem in Cote d’Ivoire and every body suspects that we might use them.”
He said President Mills has made it unambiguously clear that Ghana will not take part in any military action in the Ivory Coast and that is the official position.
Joy Online