Accra - The desperation of the Rawlings regime is beginning to show everywhere. Sources close to the Ghana Armed Forces say that soldiers have been given a 50 per cent pay rise in a futile effort to insulate them from the current economic difficulties facing all Ghanaians.

The problem however is that prices have run ahead of the 50 per cent pay increase.

Over the last six months, prices of goods and services have gone up by an estimated 70 per cent.

Soldiers continue to face acute accommodation problems and agitation over allowances paid to them on UN peace keeping operations is continuing.

The other factor which cannot be ignored is that soldiers are part of their Ghanaian society and the problems of the civilian population affects them too.

Whatever it is, soldiers are bound to see through this pay rise as an attempt to buy loyalty at a time when the government's incompetence is glaring.