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Other side of priest who prayed for Gen Acheampong before execution
Rev Fr Col Matthias Dismas Kwame Kumesi (rtd), the priest who prayed for General I.K. Acheampong, a former military head of state, before his execution following the June 4, 1979 uprising led by JJ Rawlings, has spoken about his other activities in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
He says, for instance, that he played a pioneering role that requires a determined character to surmount the challenges involved.
Hecan aptly be described as an extraordinary Catholic Priest who has broken uncharted grounds in the GAF for others to emulate..
He was the first chaplain of the GAF to be granted Presidential Commissioning into this prestigious military institution.
Not content with this achievement, he is on record as the first Chaplain of the GAF to train as a parachutist to rub shoulders with the officers and men who belong to this elite unit of the military.
In an interview with The Spectator at Nkwanta in the Oti Region recently, he said his batch was trained by Canadian Military Officers at the Ghana Military Academy and Training Schools (GMATS), Teshie, and his intake was the last batch of officers to be commissioned in December 1965 by Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, before his overthrow in March 1966.
He explained that chaplains who served in the GAF before him had no formal military training but were only given the military uniform to enable them to perform their pastoral duties.
The former Chaplain-General,who was later designated as the Director of Religious Affairs of the GAF, said after his commissioning, his first posting was to the 6th Battalion of Infantry (6BN) in Takoradi, which was under the Command of then Lt Col Ignatius Kutu Acheampong,, who became a General before he was executed following the June 4, 1979 Revolution.
He said after he had been commissioned into the GAF, he resolved that he would avail himself of all military training programmes and exercises to broaden his knowledge.
Therefore, when the opportunity came in 1971 and he was posted to the Airborne Force in Tamale as the chaplain, he utilised it (opportunity) to train as a parachutist, adding that though the training was difficult from the beginning and many thought he could not endure it because he was a chaplain, he managed to end it successfully.
Rev FrKumesi disclosed that in 1973, when the Rev FrMajor JamesOwusu, the Senior Catholic Chaplain, was appointed the Catholic Bishop of Kumasi Diocese, he was transferred to Accra to replace him.
The former Chaplain-General, whose tenure in office spanned from October 1, 1981 to November 15, 1988 and spent a total of 24 years of meritorious service in the military, said one of his greatest wishes as the Chaplain-General was to have a commissioned officer as the Imam, and he was elated when this wish eventually materialised.
Traumatic Experiences
Recounting some experiences in the military,Col Kumesi said when he was the Chaplain at 6BN, Takoradi, he found Gen Acheampong as a leader who was approachable but very firm.
“I could remember after Gen Joseph Arthur Ankrah’s coup, he called all the officers under his Command into his office while he was waiting for instructions from Accra,” he recollected.
He said some of the officers were later picked up for comments they made in connection with the coup while the officers waited in the Commanding Officer’s Office, inTakoradi.
“Some days after, l was called by the military authorities to give them details about the conversations of those officers who were picked, while we waited in the CO’s office. I told them as a Catholic priest l could not testify against anybody, so l was placed under close arrest three months for disobeying lawful command,” he said.
According to him, after three months, he was given an open arrest for nine months, which meant he could not move out of Accra. He added that it was during this period that some of the Catholic Bishops of Ghana visited him and assured him that they were solidly behind him.
After the ninth month, a military trial was arranged for him and his punishment was delay in his promotion.
From Raymond Kyekye–Nkwanta
Madam Sandra Seyram Kpedor, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Anloga in the Volta Region, has emphasised the importance of parental involvement in children’s education, stating that education is free, but parents need to do more to support their children.
She said parents, teachers, and students must be involved in addressing the challenges facing the district’s education sector, particularly the poor Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results.
Madam Kpedor outlined some key roles parents should play to promote their children’s education, including providing a conducive learning environment, monitoring their children’s progress, and supporting teachers.
The DCE highlighted some challenges the district faced such as inadequate infrastructure and a shortage of teachers, which have also contributed to the poor BECE results and called on well-to-do parent to help solve the situation through and other supports.
To address the issues, she also announced that plans have been taken to utilise the district’s common fund to implement educational projects, such as constructing school blocks and teachers’ bungalows at Sodzi community, and 2-unit classroom blocks each at Akplorwutorkor and Tegbi-Afedome respectively, among others.
Madam Kpedor also noted that her office had earlier notified the Ministry of Education to deploy more teachers to the area to improve teaching and learning, and encouraged students to work hard and strive for excellence, and work beyond their limit to succeed.
“To my wonderful and beautiful girls, you have to know it clear that women and girls have equal opportunities to compete with men for greater achievements,” she indicated.
The DCE cited her own achievement as a testament to the fact that women can excel in leadership positions, alongside Vice President Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, and stressed that girls were no longer limited to domestic roles but can pursue their dreams and become leaders.
Additionally, she mentioned that a meeting was held earlier with assembly members, and other stakeholders to address the district’s educational challenges and improve academic performance.
She promised that the district’s education oversight committee and stakeholders would work together to address the challenges and improve the district’s BECE results and called for parental involvement and support to boost the district’s education sector for children to chase their dreams to become future leaders for the success of the district and the nation.
She urged parents not to leave everything to the government but rather help in the provision of some necessary materials such as textbooks, exercise books, pens, pencils, food, and guidance to children for the successes of young learners. –GNA
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The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
