Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Ghana Army has taken delivery of a magnificent structure, and commissioned it as the Headquarters of the Army Peace Operations Training School (APOTS), Battle Training Camp (BTC), Bundase, as part of a China Military Aid Project to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Ghana – His Excellency (HE) Tong Defa, and Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Defence, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima-Kwanwoma, jointly inaugurated the facility, on Wednesday 20 November 2024.
The commissioned edifice, which commenced in May 2023, is part of nine (9) different structures under the Military Aid Project, which are; accommodation for Officers and Soldiers, an auditorium, a medical centre, and an ablution block; to be located at four locations – APOTS, Bundase, Army Recruit Training School, Shai-Hills, Naval Training Command, Nutekpor, and Air Force Base, Takoradi.
The commissioning at APOTS, also signified the officially hand over the four different land marks facilities to GAF.
This particular Chinese Military Aid Project initiative to support GAF, could be traced to July, 2017 following Exchange of Notes, between China and Ghana, after which a Protocol Agreement was signed in Beijing in January, 2020.
HE Ambassador Defa said the eighteen months construction project is a testament to the growing co-operation and support that the Government of China has extended to the Government and people of Ghana, with an aim to help GAF train new recruits, alleviate the accommodation deficit, and enhance defence capability.
“I fully believe GAF’s ability to leverage the new infrastructure effectively to train highly skilled Officers and Soldiers capable of addressing modern security challenges”, he stated, promising that China will provide one-year technical support and maintenance services, to ensure smooth operation of the facilities.
He added that the China-Ghana bilateral defence cooperation, gives great confidence to promote bilateral strategic partnership to a new height, as the two countries work together to address regional security challenges.
He further cited Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo’s trip to China to attend the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in September 2024, where alongside China’s President Xi Jinping, the two heads of states jointly announced the elevation of Bilateral Relations to a Strategic Partnership, and reached important consensus on further promoting exchanges and cooperation in many fields.
“China will join hands with Ghana to establish and implement a Global Security Initiative partnership, support Ghana to carry out peace and security projects, work together with Ghana to build a demonstration zone of Global Security Initiative and conduct early-stage cooperation”, he declared.
High mention was made of the Chief of the Defence Staff, GAF – Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah; Defence Attaché of the Chinese Embassy, Accra – Col Song Jun; Directorate of Engineer Service (DES), GAF; for their various roles played in the delivery of the project, and the contractor – China Railway No.5 Engineering Group – for completing the project 2 months ahead of schedule.
Present at the commissioning ceremony included the Acting Chief Director, Ghana’s Ministry of Defence – Mr Lawottey Tettey; the Chief of the Army Staff, Ghana Army – Major General Bismarck Kwasi Onwona; Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics, GAF – Rear Admiral Samuel Agyenim-Boateng; other Generals of GAF; Commander, APOTS – Colonel (Col) Clement Kojo Dingane; Officials of the Embassy, Officers and Soldiers of GAF.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
