Kofi Ampeah Woode
Two significant transfers-of-authority at one ceremony took place at the Ghana Armed Forces Critical Care and Emergency Hospital (GAFCCEH) for the positions of the Commander and the Commanding Officer (CO).
On Wednesday 7 May 2025, the pioneering commander, of GAFCCEH – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Evelyn Vivian Abraham-Kwabiah handed over to Brig Gen Thomas Aquinas Obireh, whiles the Commanding Officer (CO) slot transferred from Colonel (Col) Richard Okyere Mintah to Col Timothy Nyaaba-Nsobila.
GAFCCEH whose current bed capacity is 100, was established by the United Nations (UN) as a UN COVID-19 Field Hospital, pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on 1 September 2020, founded on the establishment of the Regional Cargo and Passenger Aviation Operation, medical evacuation services and COVID-19 field hospital.
The critical care and emergency hospital whose construction commenced in May 2020 and was completed in June 2020, had a purpose of managing critically ill COVID-19 patients working with the UN and its agencies in the West African sub-region and beyond.
With operations beginning from 1 October 2020 and continuing for approximately two years, the UN handed over the UN COVID-19 field hospital to the government of Ghana on 1 February 2023, the government subsequently identified and handed over the facility to GAF to run as a new facility to provide critical care and emergency services to the entire nation.
The facility has commenced Intensive Care Unit (ICU), General Ward and Dialysis operations, as a national strategic asset mandated to stand by as the national emergency response hospital, and a Centre of Excellence for ICU referrals, training and research.
General Abraham-Kwabiah, being the first Commander of GAFCCEH, worked with Brig Gen TA Obireh as the first CO, and now takes over as Commander. Col RO Mintah moves on as Director of Administration, General Headquarters (GHQ) Medical.
The Officers, Soldiers and Defence Civilian Staff (DCS) of GAFCCEH, in a citation to the outgone Commander, thanked her for providing them with inspirational leadership, unwavering support, discipline and friendliness, guiding them to new heights, uniting with a sense of purpose, as well as leading with both excellence and compassion.
To Col Mintah, the team cited him for making an indelible mark on GAFCCEH as CO, skillfully leading them from inception to a formidable force, with kindness, empathy, and considerate leadership style.
They commended him for his dedication, expertise, and enthusiasm which propelled to excellence, fostering a culture of teamwork, innovation, and unwavering commitment, whiles he mentored and guided to helped shape the careers of countless personnel of the GAFCCEH DCS.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
