Kofi Ampeah Woode
The next notch of the modernization docket of the Ghana Army (GA), has sprouted in earnest with the erection of a number of critical infrastructures to help realize the vision of Ghana’s Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) – Major General (Maj Gen) Thomas Oppong-Peprah; an Army highly motivated, well-trained and well-equipped, with quality Officers and Soldiers to achieve set tasks.
On Wednesday, November 30, 2022, Ghana’s Army Commander embarked on a working tour, at which he visited sites within Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) 5 Garrison operational area, where a list of self-help GA projects are under construction.
Provided below are projects sites toured by General Oppong-Peprah, who was accompanied by the Chief Staff Officer (CSO), Army – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Charles Agyemang-Prempeh and his Deputy in-charge of Logistics – Brig Gen KK Kumi:
At the Army Officers’ Mess, opposite the 37 Military Hospital, a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to provide Young Officers of the GA with 6-storey 96 chamber-and-hall self-contained units, is at the furnishing stage.
At the New Labadi Villas, Burma Camp, on 20 October, 2022, two 4-storeys with 16 flats, 2-bedrooms accommodation for Officers of GA commenced by contractors Messrs. UK Star and Landfilled, are at the foundation stage and are expected to be completed in a year.
At Duala Barracks, Burma Camp, five 4-storeys, 20 flats 2-bedrooms accommodation for Warrant Officers (WOs) and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) are under construction, with a couple to be completed for habitation soon, and the rest to be completed in 2 years.
At the Arakan Barracks, Burma Camp, a four executive and sixteen standard suites hotel, overlooking the Kotoka International Airport and surrounding developments, with accompanying facilities such as a 500-capacity car park, an events center (capable of hosting national events), swimming pool, and other ancillary facilities, is getting to the furnishing stage.
The hotel project was an ideation mooted by Senior Officers of GA in the early 90s; that upon return from United Nations Observer Missions, participants should make some contributions towards a fund, with which a decision was later made to put up a hotel, for the patronage of the general public and the benefit of both serving and retired Officers, at discounted charges.
Upon accruing some level of contributions, there was pressing need for the applying of the monies elsewhere so they were used up.
When Maj Gen Oppong-Peprah took over as the COAS, he raised funds to revive the hotel project and proposed a GA-Mayfair Estates Ltd collaboration, with Mr Watson Otumfuo – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) accepting the offer to take over the construction of the project for the GA, to serve as an income generation to the Service. Thus far, Mayfair Estates has provided over 90% of resources for the construction.
At the Arakan Barracks, one 4-storey 16 flats 2-bedrooms, with mechanized-borehole water provision, which commenced on 15 October, 2022, and to be completed in a year’s time, has passed the foundation stage, with the contractor being Ekow Boison and Sons Ltd.
At the Arakan Barracks, as part of the BK Akafia Lodge (the UN Village) – which is envisioned to be a compound of various facilities – one 1-storey 20 units Officers’ Transit Quarters for 40 Officers who would undertake concentration exercises, has been roofed and is being constructed on gratis by Paragon Estates Ltd, whose CEO is Mr Siribuor.
To be added to the UN Village setting in 2023 is a modern kitchen, dining hall, a playground and a large multipurpose hall, through self-help initiatives.
At the Gondar Barracks, Burma Camp, there is the construction of a new headquarters complex for the Army Special Operations Brigade (ASOB), which is at the roofing level.
At the Gondar Barracks, the COAS applauded efforts of the Commanding Officer of 153 Armoured Regiment – Lieutenant Colonel William Ohemeng, for the reconstruction of a 100-bed Young Soldiers accommodation, when he visited the facility which was commissioned earlier. The General promised to help construct an additional Young Soldiers accommodation facility at the compound of the reconstructed one in 2023.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
