Dokument #1127699
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
A Ghanaian professor of anthropology and
economic development, who also specializes in Ghanaian politics and
participated in the drafting of the 1992 Ghana constitution, stated
that the Ghanaian armed forces are completely a volunteer service
and there is no conscription law to meet the personnel requirements
of the forces in peace times (12 May 1994). The British tradition
of a volunteer military force in peace times is still the
foundation of the Ghanaian armed forces. The structure, recruitment
practices, training and promotion in the armed forces are still
based on the British model.
According to the professor, it is
considered a privilege to be a member of the Ghanaian armed forces.
As a result, personnel do not enter the service with the intention
of quitting. The professor stated that members of the forces are
"protected" with better social and economic provisions than are
generally available to the average civilian Ghanaian and members
will not intentionally sacrifice such "advantages". Membership in
the armed forces is considered a career just like one in the
Ghanaian civil service, and the goal of personnel entering that
service is to retire at a respectable rank. Given the lack of
better employment opportunities for the civilian workforce, the
tendency has been to stay in the forces until the mandatory
retirement age of 55 years. Members can be dismissed in disgrace
for conduct unbecoming of a member of the armed forces. A member
dismissed in disgrace can be court-martialled before that decision
is reached.
The professor stated that selection into a
peace-keeping military assignment is also considered a "privilege."
As a result, armed forces personnel lobby to be sent on peace
missions. The commanding officer of the Ghanaian armed forces
decides which battalion or unit is to serve with peace missions.
According to the professor, selection to serve with the Economic
Council of West African States Cease-Fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG)
in Liberia follows the same principles. Although service in Liberia
has been considered a dangerous assignment, members of the armed
forces with ECOMOG rarely quit voluntarily.
According to the professor, the Economic
Organization for West African States (ECOWAS) mandate demands
participating countries in ECOMOG to keep their forces in Liberia
until their services are no longer necessary. Service time in
ECOMOG is therefore unlimited. However, in order to allow others to
participate, personnel have been deployed back to Ghana generally
after six months duty. Budgetary requirements for logistics and
other maintenance costs have limited the number of armed forces
personnel that can serve at any particular time on ECOMOG duty.
A Ghanaian professor of political science
at Bennett College in Greensboro, NC corroborated the above
information (12 May 1994). The professor added that the Ghanaian
armed forces are a volunteer service and a person has the choice to
voluntarily leave the service. According to the professor, the only
time there was military conscription in Ghana was during the Second
World War. Few voluntarily quit the armed forces, as personnel
enjoy a better standard of living than the average civilian in
Ghanaian.
The professor added that Ghana has had a
respectable history of peace-keeping assignments. Such assignments
have been perceived by armed forces personnel as an opportunity not
only to acquire experience but also to improve their economic
well-being. The motivation for service in ECOMOG is no different
from other peace keeping assignments in which Ghanaian armed forces
personnel have participated. It is voluntary, as well. With regard
to service in ECOMOG, the professor noted that the soldiers are
generally rotated after six months, but this service can be
extended. Service in ECOMOG by Ghanaian armed forces personnel is
limited to one year to allow others the opportunity and experience
of serving in a peace-keeping assignment. The personnel rotation
also enables those already fatigued by the experience to be
appropriately relieved. The professor explained that the
peace-keepers have not been particularly enthusiastic about serving
in Liberia, which they consider as too dangerous an assignment.
Africa Confidential states that members of the Forces
Reserve Battalion (FRB), for instance, have not hidden their
dislike for duty in Liberia (21 Jan. 1994, 5-6). For basic
information on the Ghanaian armed forces, its manpower requirements
and how it has been maintained, please refer to the attachment from
Area Handbook for Ghana.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Africa Confidential [London].
21 January 1994. "Ghana: Security under Scrutiny."
Professor of anthropology and economic
development, Centre for Research on Economic Development,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 12 May 1994. Telephone
interview.
Professor of political science, Bennett
College, Greensboro, NC. 12 May 1994. Telephone interview.
Africa Confidential [London]. 21
January 1994. "Ghana: Security under Scrutiny," pp. 4-6.
Area Handbook for Ghana. 1971.
Edited by Irving Kaplan. Washington, DC: American University.