Kofi Ampeah Woode
Premiere Special Forces (SF) Unit – the 64 Infantry Regiment (64 Inf Regt) has marked its annual West Africa Soldier Social Activity (WASSA), the first since being enunciated a fully-fledged special operations unit under the Army Special Operations Brigade (ASOB) of the Ghana Army (GA).
The Unit’s social event on Friday, 23 December, 2022, dubbed ‘2022 HOMECOMING WASSA’, which brought together past Officers and Soldiers of the Regiment, was also peculiar being the first to be held at the Unit’s newly built Regimental Headquarters Complex, at the Gondar Barracks, Burma Camp, and after the ban on social activities, resulting from the restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic was lifted.
The extraordinarily well-organized social event had dignitaries such as the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) – Major General (Maj Gen) Thomas Oppong-Peprah as Special Guest, recent past Army Commander – Maj Gen William Azure Ayamdo as Guest-of-Honour, Chief Staff Officer, Army Headquarters – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Charles Agyemang-Prempeh, Director Generals, Brigade Commanders, Directors from Service Headquarters.
Others included past Commanding Officers (CO) of the Regiment, serving and retired, including a former National Security Coordinator of Ghana – Brig Gen George Partington (Rtd) and Brig Gen DK Mishio (Rtd), the ‘Special Class of 1992’, and other Ex-Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs).
The CO of the 64 Inf Regt – whose accolade is ‘Home of the Brave’, with the motto: “DARE NOT” – Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Frank Kwesi Agyeman, in an address to the gathering, specially mentioned the exceptional contribution by the 1992 Year Group who just proceeded on pension, in the construction and the growth of the Regiment.
In the course of 2022, he said, 64 Inf Regt participated in numerous trainings and exercises both home and abroad, with key among them including Ex AFRICAN LION, Ex CAMBRIAN PATROLS and Ex FLINTLOCK in Morocco, United Kingdom and la Cote d’Ivoire, respectively, as the troops of the Unit also excelled in these exercises.
Special awards were presented to past and serving personnel who have provided outstanding services to the nation, at large, the Regiment and GA in particular, whiles the Kpookεkε Band, Hejɔlε Dance Foundation, Torday Dance Group and DJ Abeg (2022 DJ Awards Winner), serenaded the audience with foot-tapping, finger-snapping music and imitable, exciting dance moves.
Friends of 64 Inf Regt who supported the 2022 HOMECOMING WASSA variously, included Mr Amadu Yahaya – Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sun Electronics Ltd, Mr Owusu Yeboah – CEO, Francopat Company, Mr Kojo Sarfo (Jnr) – CEO, Kristo Asafo Ltd, Nii Botchwey Laryea II – Liberty Industries, Mr Mark Boye Anum – CEO, EV Oil, Accra Brewery Ltd, Wilmar Africa Ltd, Burma Camp Pharmacy.
Others are Mr Kwadwo Bonsu – CEO, Geoplast Ghana Ltd, Mr Justice Archer – Juster Construction, and Alhaji Sulley, Mr Isaac Ametepey, Mr Joseph Amartey, Madam Daavi Bless of Kasoa, Divisional Chief Nii Tettey Ofro Osro – La Leshie Mantse, Mike Nii Odoi Laryea – Head of family Nii Odoitso Odoikwao La, Charles Nii Odoi Ayi – Head of family, Nii Odoitso Odoikwao – Odoi Kwao Osu and Benjamin Tetteh Yemo.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
