STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT ON ’S PARTICIPATION IN ECOWAS MISSION IN BY HONOURABLE DOMINIC BINGAB ADUNA NITIWUL, MP FOR BIMBILLA AND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE - 15 FEBRUARY, 2017 Mr Speaker, I make this Statement in the form of a policy and not a normal Statement. Mr Speaker, it is important that I brief the people of Ghana through Parliament on the decision to go and participate in the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia since it was a policy decision. Introduction Mr Speaker, on 1st December, 2016, Gambians went to the polls to elect their President. The elections which were adjudged free, fair and peaceful, saw the major Opposition Leader, of the United Democratic Party (UDP) emerging victorious. The outcome of the elections also received global commendations, especially because, the incumbent President, Yaya Jammeh immediately conceded defeat and congratulated Adama Barrow. Mr Speaker, The Gambian Armed Forces (GAMAF) also welcomed the outcome of the elections and pledged their loyalty to the incoming President. These developments, notwithstanding, President , surprisingly, on 10th December, 2016, nine days after the elections, rescinded his earlier acceptance of defeat and queried the integrity of the election process. This move on the part of President Yahya Jammeh dealt a severe blow to the growth of democracy and good governance in The Gambia, especially because, it reversed the will on The Gambian people, and threatened the integrity of the Constitution of The Gambia. Mr Speaker, efforts by ECOWAS leaders (the last being on Friday, 13th January, 2017), to convince President Jammeh to accept the results of the elections and peacefully transfer power to the elected President yielded no positive results. GAMAF also retracted their loyalty pledged to the President elect, and joined camp with the incumbent. Additionally, they took over the ElectoralCommission’s Headquarters while the National Intelligence Agency closed down four private radio stations and media houses perceived not to be in support of President Jammeh’s thoughts. Mr Speaker, the President-elect, on his part pledged to declare himself , come 19th January, 2017. These events created a crisis in The Gambia, the effects of which were felt well beyond that country’s borders. Mr Speaker, the 50th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS held in Abuja, Federal Republic of , on 17th December, 2016, discussed among others, the evolving political and security situation in The Gambia. As a follow-up to this engagement, an extraordinary meeting of the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff of ECOWAS was held in Abuja on Saturday, 14th January, 2017, in order to discuss the evolving security situation and propose solutions to the Authority of Heads of State and Governments. In the absence of Ghana’s Chief of the Defence Staff (Air Marshal Michael Samson- Oje), the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.Gen Obed Akwa represented Ghana, accompanied by the DirectorGeneral, Joint Operations, Brig Gen Nick Kporku. Mr Speaker at that meeting, it was agreed that, the countries should contribute troops. Proposed Troop Contributions Mr Speaker, a decision was reached at the Abuja meeting for Nigeria, and Ghana to contribute the following to the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG): a. Nigeria 1,200 –– All ranks; b. Senegal 2,800 –– All ranks; c. Ghana 200 –– All ranks; Mr Speaker, the actual force level, however, when the troops were finally deployed was as follows: a. Nigeria - 570; b. Senegal - 3,200; c. Ghana - 208; Mr Speaker, Ghana’s decision to contribute troops is in line with the country’s commitment to the ECOWAS Peace and Security Plan for the Sub region. Planning and Preparations for Ghanacoy deployment Mr Speaker, the Abuja meeting allowed only three (3) days for individual troop contributing countries’ plan and prepare ahead of the deployment. All external troops were to be in on 17th January, 2017. The Ghana Army was ready with personnel and logistics as early as 16th January 2017. However, there were some challenges that gave us a drawback, forcing the Ghana Armed Forces to rely on commercial airlines. I would come back to this House later on with a solution to that problem. Mr Speaker, the first batch of troops could only be airlifted on 20th January, 2017 and the second on 21st January, 2017. Mr Speaker, the planning and preparatory stage also drew home a useful lesson to us as a country that, we need to prepare ourselves. Mr Speaker, as I said earlier, I would come back to brief the House on that particular matter with the solutions. Mr Speaker, additionally, GAF made sea lift to deploy the weapons that were needed, so that we could save cost and allow the Ghanaian troops to arrive in the theatre with a more credible and better operational posture. I can say that a few countries reached there before us for the same reason I stated above. Mr Speaker, Ghana’s delay meant that our Forces were absent during the critical Phase 1 operations; this should be addressed to improve on the operational and combat readiness of GAF. Military situation Mr Speaker, on Thursday, 19thJanuary, 2017 the day President Adama Barrow was to take over, at least, a battalion each of Ecowas Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG) Forces crossed the international boundary into Gambia from the North and South. This marked the commencement of combat operations of the campaign, culminating in the securing of key and vulnerable points in and elsewhere across the country. Let me state Mr Speaker, that no resistance was encountered from GAMAF. There was absolutely no resistance. Mr Speaker, overnight, both on the 18th and 19th of January, 2017, IX 155 mm artillery shell was fired by ECOMIG Forces on Yahya Jammeh’s personal farm at Kanilai (South Gambia) before combat operations were halted, pending further diplomatic efforts on Friday, 20th January, 2017. When the ECOMIG Forces started operations, word was sent from the President that he was ready to talk. So, they halted the military operations; ECOMIG jets also conducted reconnaissance flights over The Gambia, but reported nothing of operational or military significance. Subsequently, ECOMIG Forces took full control of The Gambia and secured the State House, Banjul Airport, Seaport, Denton Bridge and major crossing points between Senegal and The Gambia. ECOMIG Forces continued operations to assist the civil authority asset its total influence over the whole country. His , Adama Barrow was inaugurated President of The Gambia inside The Gambian Embassy in Dakar on the 19th January, 2017. That notwithstanding, Yahya Jammeh still held himself as President, surrounded by loyalists inside the State House in Banjul, although surrounded by ECOMIG Forces. Following the suspension of combat operations, ECOWAS leaders made further efforts to resolve the impasse politically. But Mr Speaker, the ECOMIG troops remained in place in locations reached before the suspension of combat operations. Mr Speaker, on the 21st January, 2017, the good news came, ex-President Yahya Jammeh agreed to leave and actually left The Gambia. Refugees, encouraged by the new security atmosphere pertaining in The Gambia, because of the presence of ECOWAS Forces crossed back from Senegal to their homes inside The Gambia. Their return has continuously improved social and economic activities. President Adama Barrow himself returned to The Gambia on the 26th January 2017. Current Ghanacoy deployment Mr Speaker, the Ghanaian component of ECOMIG is in 208 of all ranks. The deployment of troops was in two chalks –– Chalk 1 deployed on Friday 20th January, 2017 and Chalk 2 on Saturday, 21st January, 2017. Notwithstanding all the difficulties, I can state that all the 208 all ranks are in The Gambia and stationed at Barra where they have been asked to station. Sixty-five (65) all ranks initially were deployed to Barra town and the last crossed into that same town to deploy. Future Projection Mr Speaker, it is projected for the future that ECOMIG would begin to down-size after The Gambia’s Independence Day on 18th February, 2017. ECOMIG’s reduced strength is projected to be at 500 all ranks, which would be commanded by an officer of the rank of from the Nigerian Army, to be appointed by ECOWAS. In line with this down-sizing, Ghana’s troop contribution would be cut to 50 all ranks. The highest placed officer in the rank of Major would remain with the 50 men. An ECOWAS team is expected in The Gambia on 7th February, 2017, to formalise the Force drawdown. In line with the drawdown, the Force strength would be 500. The breakdown is as follows: a. Nigeria - 200. b. Senegal - 250. c. Ghana - 50. Conditions of Ghanaians Mr Speaker, I can report to this House that our troops have taken advantage of their presence in The Gambia to visit and secure all people of Ghanaian descent, particularly, a fishing community of about three hundred and fifty (350) Ghanaians in Senegambia, a suburb of the Greater Banjul and in Barra, where we have a large population of Ghanaians who are mostly fisher folks. Mr Speaker, currently, the Ghanaian community is well secured, well protected safe and going about their daily activities in peace without any inhibition from anyone. Conclusion Mr Speaker, the events in the Republic of The Gambia and the subsequent decision to deploy an intervention Force once again, proved ECOWAS’s determination to support good governance and the rule of law. Ghana’s deployment has been successful so far, largely because of Government’s prompt decision and approval of the financial support, that the troops needed. It is envisaged that 158 all ranks would arrive back in Ghana by the 20th and 21st of February, 2017. This is because of the drawdown thus leaving 50 men with a Major as their head. Mr Speaker, it is suggested that, strategic sea lifts and other equipment needed by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for such emergencies and for deployment at home and abroad be seriously looked at. I will come back officially with plans, when the time is due, for us as a House, to look at that position. I thank you Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to brief the people of Ghana through you on our operations in The Gambia and to let them know that our troops and citizens in The Gambia are safe and that our participation in the ECOMIG Mission has been commended highly by the international community and by the people of The Gambia. I thank you, Mr Speaker.