KUFUOR SACKS MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 000078 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL GH SUBJECT: KUFUOR SACKS MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY REF: ACCRA 1962 Classified By: AMBASSADOR PAMELA E. BRIDGEWATER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) On January 12, President Kufuor fired Minister of National Security Francis Poku, who had served as Ghana's National Security Coordinator since 2002 and Minister of National Security since 2006. According to sources, the final straw in the tense relationship between Kufuor and Poku was Poku's sending Brigadier Saki, head of Ghana Military Intelligence, to Israel in December 2007 on a liaison trip, unbeknownst to Kufuor. Following this trip, Saki prepared a trip report which ended up in the hands of J.K. Mensah, the Director of the Research Department at the MFA. Mensah, who allegedly felt passed over in 2006 when Poku was appointed Minister, shared the report with Kufuor. Kufuor, according to sources, was upset about the trip to Israel because Poku had not informed him about it. Calling Poku to task on Saturday morning in front of Yaw Gyimah, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Frank Adu Poku, Head of Ghana Police's Criminal Investigations Department, Kufuor asked Poku why he had not been informed of the mission to Israel. Poku allegedly told Kufuor that he was "on a need to know basis" and that the mission was part of his duties as Minister. Kufuor became more upset with Poku after these statements and asked for his resignation. When Poku refused to resign, Kufuor sacked him. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: Poku generated many enemies during his time as Minister. Mensah, of the MFA, felt passed over when Poku was named Minister in 2006. The Ghana Police had their own problems with Poku as did the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI). Poku was also implicated by some parties in the 2006 cocaine scandals and some alleged that he regularly received money from former Assistant Commissioner of Police Kofi Boakye, who was also implicated in the scandals. Kufuor was also allegedly upset with Poku for his failure to share the full details of BNI's election polling (ref A) which could have potentially informed Kufuor earlier about Alan Kyerematen's lack of popular support. Kufuor was surprised and embarrassed when Kyerematen lost the New Patriotic Party (NPP) nomination in December 2007, according to sources. Poku's favorite for the NPP nomination was former Finance Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo. It is unclear at this point who will succeed Poku as Minister although both Dr. Sam Amoo, the current National Security Coordinator and J.K. Mensah at the MFA have been suggested as possible replacements. It is also quite possible that the position, only created in 2006, could remain empty for Kufuor's final year in office. It is too early to tell what effect Poku's sacking will have on the GOG, however we expect security cooperation to remain strong. As for Poku, he will likely be fine as sources have told us that he has benefitted from his time in office and has amassed considerable wealth. BRIDGEWATER