A man identifying himself as Colonel Segbawu Lameworna—an unknown figure within the Ghana Armed Forces, has published an open letter to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General William Agyapong, accusing him of orchestrating a campaign to discredit former CDS, General Thomas Oppong-Peprah.
Investigations by The Herald, suggest that Ernest Tetteh Mangortey, also known as “Owula Mangortey,” a known hired gun of General Oppong-Peprah, is behind the letter.
Defence insiders, have long regarded Mangortey, as a propagandist working in the interest of the former CDS.
The letter also raises questions about the controversial procurement of 20 BTR-70 Soviet-era armoured vehicles, which are 53 years old at a cost of US$8.8 million.
The writer, named Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, the former CDS, as the official who authorised the purchase of the Soviet-era vehicles.
This was allegedly based on advice from Major General Peter Nicholas Andoh, former Chief of Staff at General Headquarters (GHQ), and Major General Gyane, former Director-General of Plans, Research and Development.
The letter argues that, if Major-General Agyapong, has any credible evidence of wrongdoing by General Oppong-Peprah, he is free to refer the matter to appropriate investigative bodies such as the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the National Investigations Bureau (NIB), the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
It also affirms that, General Oppong-Peprah, travelled to Baku, Azerbaijan, to inspect the armoured vehicles and later briefed CDS Amoama on his observations.
He was reportedly called by CDS Amoama to assess the vehicles, while already on a separate mission to Azerbaijan’s Defence Industries in Baku. His feedback is said to be on record.
Alhaji Toefik and Dr Tufeuru, who facilitated the procurement, are said to be available to support any investigations.
The letter further claims: “Our officers and men believe that our former generals must be in a position to inform President Mahama that the then-Chief of Army Staff (Major-General Oppong-Peprah) was not involved in the decision to purchase the armoured vehicles. He was only contacted after the procurement had already taken place to inspect them. The CDS can confirm the COAS’s feedback on the vehicles. Alhaji Toefik and Dr Tufeuru, who facilitated the purchase, are willing to assist in any investigation.”
The letter, circulated widely across social media and military WhatsApp groups, has stirred unease within military circles, with many questioning its author’s authenticity.
Internal sources, confirm that no such individual named Segbawu Lameworna, has ever served in the Ghana Armed Forces.
In the letter, the alleged “Colonel” warns Major-General Agyapong, against what he calls an unjustified attempt to tarnish General Oppong-Peprah’s reputation.
He alleges that the CDS, held private meetings with a former Chief of Army Staff and a controversial associate known among officers at Burma Camp to manufacture allegations against the ex-CDS.
The letter refers to a petition reportedly submitted to President John Mahama, calling for an investigation into the procurement of BTR-70 armoured vehicles for Ghana’s UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei, Sudan.
It is alleged that, the petition was not signed by Major-General Agyapong himself, but by a close confidant, whose personal contact information was included in the letter.
The writer also refers to a supposed meeting on April 5, 2025, at Borteyman Estates, allegedly held to coordinate this campaign.
The letter argues that the petition, whether intentional or not, casts suspicion on former CDS Vice Admiral Amoama and other senior officers, who advised on the procurement. It maintains that Oppong-Peprah, was not part of the decision-making process.
In a direct appeal, the letter urges the CDS to submit any allegations of wrongdoing to the proper investigative bodies, but warns that any attempt to “unjustifiably tarnish” General Oppong-Peprah’s image, will be “resisted by some of our officers and men”.
The Ghana Armed Forces, has yet to issue an official response, but security analysts say the circulation of such politically charged and anonymous correspondence, presents reputational challenges for the military.
Meanwhile, The Herald’s investigations into the BTR-70 procurement reveal a web of deception, including the falsification of documents to mislead then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the former Commander-in-Chief.
Those behind the US$8.8 million deal, reportedly misrepresented the year of manufacture as 2002 by altering the chassis numbers.
The vehicles were produced in 1972 and are now over 50 years old. The bill of lading, falsely stated the manufacturing year as 2002—an apparent act of fraud. However, production of the BTR-70 ceased in 1984, after it was replaced by the BTR-80.
Despite their advanced age and visibly poor condition—including rust, torn upholstery, and structural damage—20 BTR-70 APC,s were shipped to Ghana. Seventeen of them currently lie idle at the Recce Regiment in Burma Camp, Accra.
The supplier, Alhaji Tafid of Messrs Double ST Limited, is linked to Messrs Ramelsco Company and Akanni Logistics, the companies responsible for procuring bulletproof vehicles for General Oppong-Peprah and other top military officers.
The BTR-70, originally manufactured by Soviet plants such as Arzamas Machine-Building Plant (AMZ) and Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ), was introduced in 1972. Newer, more advanced models such as the BTR-80, BTR-82, and BTR-82A have since been developed, offering enhanced performance and protection.
Each BTR-70, was reportedly procured for US$440,000, totalling US$8.8 million. Unlike the BTR-80, which uses a single diesel engine, the BTR-70 has two petrol engines unless retrofitted.
Though retrofitted with diesel engines for Ghana’s use, critical components such as radiators and hoses were missing, rendering the vehicles defective and inefficient. To improve appearances, the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Corps repainted and reupholstered the vehicles at the 153 Armoured Regiment’s parade square ahead of their commissioning by President Akufo-Addo.
The vehicles arrived without their primary armament—the 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun. Only the secondary 7.62mm PKM co-axial machine guns were delivered and tested. The primary weapons, which arrived in 2024, remain untested due to the vehicles’ unserviceable state.
Furthermore, the APCs lacked spare parts, specialised tools, maintenance kits, and even basic accessories such as spare tires.
The defects included overheating due to oil and lubricant leaks, faulty brakes and clutch systems, unserviceable rear camera monitors, absence of communication systems, blurred vision blocks and side mirrors, and plastic windscreens that are vulnerable to small arms fire
Following commissioning, seven APCs—described by insiders as “death traps”—were deployed to Abyei, Sudan. Due to their condition, they were transported by low-bed trailers from Burma Camp to the Tema Port.
A Forward Repair Team (FRT) was dispatched to restore functionality, but only one APC is currently operational, and even that operates using salvaged alternators from other non-functional units.
The FRT confirmed excessive fuel consumption and overheating reports, making the APCs unsuitable for operational use. None has functioned as intended since their arrival in the mission area on 16 March 2024, during GHANBATT 2’s deployment.
This dire situation has compromised the safety and effectiveness of Ghanaian troops, who are left exposed due to inadequate and defective equipment.
The incident resembles earlier procurement missteps involving BTR-60 APCs during Ghana’s involvement in the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) in the early 2000s—another cautionary tale that seemingly went unheeded.
The decision to procure outdated armoured vehicles undermines troop morale and contradicts the principle of safeguarding soldiers’ welfare over the comfort or interests of senior officers.
President John Dramani Mahama, now the Ghana Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief, recently addressed this concern during a commissioning event on April 11, 2025.
