For reasons best known to the NDC leadership, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has become one of their most hated Ghanaians alive. The attack against him in the NDC publication was one of the most scurrilous against him from any country.

Last Thursday, the ex-Flt. Lt. was in full flight at a political rally slashing and flaying at his perceived enemies. At the receiving end were of course Ghana's sitting President, John Aguekum Kufuor, Ghana's Chief Justice George Kingsley Acquah, the Commandant of the Staff College and Command, Major General Ayirku and surprise, surprise, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Sounding very much like one demented, Rawlings screamed and ranted to his supporters that the Nigerian President had sent in soldiers to Ghana ostensibly to harm him.

Ghana has bilateral defence pacts with many countries, including Nigeria and often holds joint exercises with them. ADM has reported many times on military exercises between Ghana and other ECOWAS states, the US, the UK, France and other EU countries.

Naval ships from the world's military powers have often docked at Ghana's ports either on purely fraternal visits or for joint military exercises. In 2001 the Nigerian and Ghanaian military held joint intelligence exercises, which the ex-Flt. Lt. has latched on as President Obasanjo's attempt to collaborate with the Kufuor Administration to harm him. He has been repeating this unfriendly allegation against this sub-regional giant since this 2001 joint exercise.

Unable to control himself when addressing his party supporters, the ex-Flt. Lt. sought to deride the Nigerian Head of State by describing his AU chairmanship as "so-called" and in the most contemptible of tones roped him in as an accessory to an attempt on his life. ADM has been informed that the Nigerian High Commission in Accra is studying the matter carefully.

The PNDC leader's attack on Ghana's military has since been rebuffed. In a press release issued last week, the Ghana Armed Forces Public Relations Directorate said it had "read with dismay" statements attributed to the former Flight Lt. and cautioned him to watch his derogatory utterances against the military in order for it to concentrate on its traditional role of defending the country.

The Director of the Public Relations Directorate of the GAF, Colonel EWK Nibo, said in a press release that "in as much as the former President is entitled to his opinion" statements that would undermine the integrity of institutions such as the Armed Forces should not be coming from a former President and a former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

"We wish to inform him that it would serve the country a lot of good if he should leave the military alone in order for it to concentrate on its responsibilities of ensuring security, and unity of the state, among others," the release stated.

It said the GAF is not amused that Rawlings continues to drag the name of high ranking officers into matters with political connotation.

In attacking the professional competence of Major General Aryiku, Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College for his role as General Officer Commanding the Northern Command during the Dagbon crisis", the release said such uncomplimentary statements "sow seeds of discord and concern. GAF would therefore like to appeal to all who have political ambitions to leave the Armed Forces and its personnel out of the political arena."

The release said it is surprising that Rawlings is attacking the professional competence of Major Gen Aryiku because the former honoured the latter for excelling in his duty during his (Rawlings) tenure as President.

The release queried: "What has Major Gen Aryiku got to do with Odododiodoo constituency by-election for which he is being castigated by the former President? Was he (Rawlings) not the same person who honoured Major Gen Aryiku with a "Distinguished Service Order" (DSO) for brilliant display of professionalism in Liberia and untainted loyalty to the state of Ghana during his tenure of office as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces?"

The release said it was by dint of hard work that Major Gen Aryiku achieved his present rank. "He has worked for peace and security not only in Ghana but in the sub-region as the first Ghanaian Battalion Commander to set foot in Liberia with ECOMOG during the heat of the Liberian debacle in 1990…

Why should he (Aryiku) be rewarded with a bashing at a political party rally simply because he has called for the need for peace and stability in the West African Sub-region, or is it because the political minds condemning him do not see the need for peace in our Sub-region?"

The statement called on all Ghanaians to support and cooperate with the Ghana Armed Forces in the search for stable, peaceful and secure environment to foster development and progress.

"Indeed, it is our collective task to build and NOT TO DESTROY our motherland since we all have no alternative country," it concluded.