Kofi Ampeah Woode
Ghana Armed Forces’ (GAF) Centre of Technical Excellence – the Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Technical Training School (EMETTS), has had its Commanding Officer (CO) – Colonel (Col) Augustine Awuku-Annie, successfully transfer command to Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Emmanuel Essilfie Odoom, after the former had been at the helm for nineteen (19) months.
On Friday 22 September, 2023, a Handing/Taking Over parade was held at the EMMETTS Compound, Burma Camp, Accra, where the Deputy Commandant of GAF’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Lawrence Kweku Gbetanu, represented his Commandant – Major General (Maj Gen) Bismarck Kwasi Onwona, as the Guest of Honour, at EMETTS’ maiden farewell parade for an outgoing CO.
Col Awuku-Annie, who assumed command of training GAF Artisans on Friday 11 February 2022, and set a three-prong vision under his tenure, which were: i) enriching the training package, ii) building capacity, and iii) developing key infrastructure, led in a number of developments at EMETTS, some of which are listed below to inspire other leaders, challenge staff and students to do more for the Centre, and encourage the attainment of endless possibilities through team work;
1) EMETTS reviewed its course contents, using the competency based approach; 2) Industrial attachment to expose the students to trends in the industry was also introduced; 3) Two batches of students undertook a four-week industrial attachment at Toyota Ghana Limited, Japan Motors Limited, Rana Motors, Universal Motors, Silver Star Auto Limited, Oman Forfor, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, and Celestial Medical Equipment;
4) EMETTS built the capacity of Staff towards an effective learning experience, as two sessions of Instructors’ Clinics were subsequently held during Course Breaks; 5) Opportunities were created for Instructors to develop their proficiencies; 6) EMETTS cast concrete on all of its compound, which hitherto got flooded whenever it rained;
Additionally, the Centre 7) constructed a workshop with an overhead cover and a bay, to provide an appropriate workspace for practical training of automobile technicians – the workshop also offers automobile services including oil change, tire change, tire inflation, tire balancing and vehicle diagnostics, at an affordable cost; 8) a Guard Post with a washroom was also constructed; 9) Extension work at the Tobias Mess was undertaken;
Moreover, 10) a Single Cabin JMC pick-up vehicle and a commercial refrigeration container were refurbished; 11) a mobile hand-washing machine was manufactured; 12) a podium with an inbuilt microphone was built; 13) to promote the School, the maiden edition of the “EMETTS Bulletin” was published and launched; 14) a School Anthem to reflect the values of the school and expectations of its students was composed; and 15) the lighting system was improved and the premises beautified.
Col A Awuku-Annie assumes a new role as a Course Director at the West African acclaimed Training Centre of Excellence (TCE) – the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC).
In his acceptance speech, the new CO of the over 15 years old EMETTS – Lt Col E Essilfie Odoom, outlined his vision of building on the existing structures towards making EMETTS a primary research Centre for the design and manufacture of military accoutrement, aimed at boosting the combat efficiency of the GAF.
Dignitaries presented at the function included Deputy Chief Staff Officer in charge of Logistics at the Army Headquarters – Brig Gen Kenneth Kwaku Kwaah Kumi; Assistant Commandant, Tri-Service Schools, TRADOC – Col Lloyd Kwaku Atror;
Others include Assistant Commandant, Doctrine, TRADOC – Col Emmanuel Opare Nyante; Director, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers – Col Francis Sasu; Head of Mission, GAFTAG – Lt Col Bernard Frei; amongst many.
