By Papisdaff Abdullah
President Nana Akufo-Addo has assured the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) that his administration will pursue an agenda to give a befitting facelift to all military facilities in Ghana particularly the construction of a new state of the art infrastructure for the force’s training institute.
Addressing the Ghana Military Academy’s 2018 Graduation Parade for Regular Career Course 58 and Short Service Commission and Special Duties Course 56, President Akufo-Addo said since the establishment of the Ghana Military Academy in 1960, the Institute has not witnessed any significant development in its infrastructure.
“There is no doubt that the situation is putting undue strain on the Academy in its efforts to provide quality training,” the President said.
To address this challenge, President Akufo-Addo announced that “plans have been put in place for the building of new state of the art infrastructure to meet the requirements of a 21st Century training institution.” This, the President hopes will be the legacy that he will leave for the Ghana Armed Forces.
The president in his address also cautioned the newly Commissioned Officers of the Ghana Armed Forces to be mindful of the fact that their military uniforms are not for intimidating civilians but it is for their protection and for securing the territorial integrity of the nation.
Commissioned Officers
In all, 139 officers graduated and were commissioned to begin their career in the Ghana Armed Forces. Two allied cadets from the Republic of Guinea also graduated and they will head back to serve in their country.
Seventy-four of the number graduated from the Regular Career Course 58, (Army Division). Three officers currently under Training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom also graduated and were commissioned. Five officers from the Navy graduated in the Regular Career Course 58. Eleven officers also graduated from the Air Force in the same category.
Twenty-three officers from the Army graduated from the Short Service Commission and Special Duties course 56. Ten officers were commissioned in the same category from the Navy and 12 from the Short Service Commission and Special Duties course 56 from the Air Force.
Awards
The Sword of Honour, the best all-around officer cadet in the Regular Career Course 58, was awarded to senior under officer Daniel Opoku Boadu. The best-allied officer cadet award in the Regular Career Course 58 went to C/SGT. Alpha Diallo Ousman. The Chief of the Air Staff award for the regular Career Course 58 (Air Force) went to C/SGT. Ahmed Najat Kariama. The Chief of the Naval Staff award (Sextant award) for the regular Career Course 58 (Navy) was received by CSM Ameckson Ruben. The Chief of Army Staff award for the regular Career Course 58 (Army) was awarded to JUO. Akosua Serwaa Appiah and the Chief of Defence Staff award was picked by JUO. Ebenezer Tamatey.
The Ghana Military Academy
The Ghana Military Academy is the military academy of the Ghana Armed Forces. It offers basic military training to officer cadets from the Ghana Army, Ghana Navy and the Ghana Air Force. The academy is based in Teshie in the Greater Accra Region.
Entrance to the academy is by examination, and the curriculum includes military and general subjects. Duration of the course for army cadets is two years. At the end of the first six months, a few candidates may be selected to finish their studies at foreign institutions such as the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in Britain.
The Ghana Military Academy, established in 1960, also provides short Commissioned higher military education for the officers of the three services. The best senior officers are selected periodically to attend the Army Staff College at Camberley in Britain or one of the agenda other senior service schools in foreign countries.
