Flagstaff House Security Boss Fired

President John Dramani Mahama has started walking the talk of change with a replacement of his head of security inside the Flagstaff House as indicated in his "Green Letter" to all his appointees two weeks ago. The Herald's reliable sources inside the Flagstaff House have informed this paper that Lieutenant Colonel Glover Ashong Annan, a Command Operations Officer at Southern Command Headquarters in Accra, last Tuesday, took charge of the Presidential Guards from Lieutenant Colonel Tanyi. According to The Herald's security sources at the Flagstaff House, the new security Chief was introduced at a short durbar on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 to all security details including Close Escorts (CE), Counter Intelligence (IC) operatives and national security operatives at the Presidency. Before taking over, the new security head was last Thursday, July 9, 2014 monitored by The Herald's contacts within the seat of Government, having a top secret meeting with the Chief of Staff, Prosper Douglas Bani, in his office. The outgoing security head, Lt. Col. Tanyi, who has been around the Presidency since the late Prof Mills' time, is said to be pursuing a law degree. Speculations are that he had been reassigned to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Staff College. There are three institutions guarding the presidency namely; the Ghana Police Service, the Military and operatives of the National Security. There are reports that they are at each other's throat, over who are more superior to handle the security of the President. Ahead of the appointment of Lt. Col. Ashong Annan as the new head, security at the Presidency The Herald was told had broken down with the Police feeling they should be the institution in-charge while the Military felt that they were supposed to be protecting the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). However, the National Security operatives were also said to be of the view that all security agencies are under them and they have the co-coordinating powers, hence must be in charge of the Presidency. It is therefore hoped that Lt. Col. Ashong Annan would bring discipline, unity, sense of purpose and direction to all the three institutions guarding the Presidency in order not to compromise the security of President Mahama. Insiders described the current situation pertaining at the Presidency as so bad that some staffers have succeeded in undermining rules and regulations by engaging the services of some individuals into the Presidential Guard, without the necessary national security clearance. Lt. Col. Ashong Annan was commissioned into the Ghana Army on August 12, 1994 and was posted to the First Battalion of Infantry Michel Camp near Tema. He holds a post graduate certificate in conflict and crisis management from Cranfield - UK. He also pursued academic programmes at Zenith University College and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). In the Ghana Army, Lt. Col. Annan has also pursued various courses. These include senior Staff Officers Course, Military Observers Course in Hamburg - Germany, Regimental Signal Officers Course and Combat Team Commanders Course. Lt. Col. Ashong Annan had served as Intelligence Officer Commanding the Formation of Rapid Deployment Force, Instructor, Ghana Military Academy, Adjutant and Officer Commanding IBN and Directing Staff at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College - Junior Division. Military colleagues describe him as an outstanding Military Officer, who is strict and principled. They believe he is capable of raising morale of the troops and instill discipline not only among the security officers but among even the civilian staff operating at the Flagstaff House, where the Commander-in-Chief lives.