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Other side of priest who prayed for Gen Acheampong before execution
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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
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has directed all aspirants campaigning in the Greater Accra Region to suspend their campaign activities on August 5 and 6 and instead mobilise supporters for the party’s planned “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration.
The directive was issued by the party’s National Steering Committee in a statement signed by the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the decision forms part of efforts to ensure a strong turnout for the demonstration, which is scheduled for Thursday, August 6, 2026.
The party said the protest would begin at 5:00 a.m., with participants expected to gather at the Supreme Court in Accra.
It further directed Regional, Constituency and Polling Station Executives in Greater Accra to work closely to mobilise members and supporters for the event.
“The National Steering Committee is calling on all aspirants currently campaigning across the Greater Accra Region to temporarily suspend their campaign activities on the 5th and 6th of August and join in mobilising support for the upcoming demonstration,” the statement noted.
The NPP appealed to party members and supporters to remain peaceful, disciplined and orderly throughout the protest.
The demonstration forms part of the party’s response to concerns it has raised over issues relating to Ghana’s democratic governance and the justice system.
The NPP leadership expressed confidence that party members would cooperate fully to ensure a successful and peaceful event.
By: Jacob Aggrey
