Kofi Ampeah Woode
Change took its constant position at Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Defence Mechanical Transport Battalion (Def MT Bn) when the Commanding Officer (CO) of the transport support setup – Colonel (Col) Aaron Amadu Baba handed over the baton of Command to its first ever lady CO – Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Justina Frimpong.
After being at the helm of Command of Def MT Bn for one year less eleven days, on Friday 17 February 2023, the Commander, Support Services Brigade Group (Sp Svc Bde Gp) – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) John Agyakwa supervised Col Baba’s handing over as CO to take higher appointment as Chief, Army Equipment, at the Ghana Army Headquarters, Burma Camp.
As the Guest-of-Honour and being in conversant terrain, Brig Gen Agyakwa outlined the work of Def MT Bn as i) there always being the need for movement, distribution, supply, maintenance, evacuation, disposal of materiel and the transportation of military personnel from one area to another: Def MT Bn carries out transport duties for Units and also provides drivers for vehicles used by GHQ Departments and Directorates.
He said further that ii) transport support enhances mobility options for any commander, by providing protected and unprotected movement of stores, equipment and personnel; iii) Def MT Bn has the primary role of providing third- and fourth-line transport support to GAF’s three Services; Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as first- and second-line to Departments, Directorates and Support Services units.
To applaud the outgone CO, General Agyakwa cited an instance at the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Operational Conference, where the Chief of Staff, General Headquarters (GHQ) singled Col Baba out for commendation, for installing the Opoku Ops Room for his Unit, which is manned round the clock, to meet demands of contemporary value-chain of transport support to GAF; and was hence praised by the Military High Command.
Although his tenure as CO was very short, Col Baba is deemed to have delivered emulative results such as: 1) renovating the Unit Gymnasium, and equipping it with fitness equipment to improve individual physical fitness, 2) renovating the Alpha Company garage and offices to provide protection to vehicles and congenial office environment for personnel to work.
Furthermore, he 3) renovated and equipped the Unit’s washing bay, which was hitherto non-operational, 4) sunk 2 boreholes – one in the Unit and another at the Old Amenity Centre, allowing for constant supply of water in the Unit, and the Young Soldiers’ accommodation at Old Amenity Centre, 5) renovated and furnished the Quarter Master’s office to ensure personnel are comfortable to perform their duties effectively.
He also 6) designated, renovated and furnished an office for the Company Sergeant Major Headquarters Company and the Unit Administration Warrant Officer, 7) Extended the Old Amenity Block washroom from a 6-block unit to a 12-block unit, reactivated and refitted the Unit’s ablution which had been out of use, for use by personnel and visitors.
Col Baba also 8) installed a state-of-the-art Unit Signpost to aid easy identification of the Unit while edifying the entrance of the Unit, 9) replaced old furniture at the Transporters Rendezvous with modern furniture, and 10) Commenced the construction of a 300-bed accommodation unit at the S&T Amenity Centre for Young Soldiers.
In a farewell speech, he said he set out resolving to command a Unit that was well-motivated, well-trained, and highly-skilled, capable of providing transport support to the GAF in diverse settings, both in peace and war times. He assesses that despite few challenges, his team has been able to achieve its mission.
The former CO who before his appointment in 2022 served as Deputy Director, Inspectorate at the General Headquarters Supplies and Transport, handed over to his Academy-mate Lt Col J Frimpong, whose last appointment was General Staff Officer 1 Administration, at the Army Headquarters, and a member of Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT) and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.
Dignitaries present at the ceremony included the General Officer Commanding, Central Command – Brig Gen Charles Agyemang-Prempeh, the Commander, 17 Army Signal Brigade – Brig Gen Anthony Ntem, Director General, Human Resource – Brig Gen MK Opoku, Deputy Chief Staff Officer Logistics – Brig Gen KK Kumi, Director Supplies and Transport – Col Fusheini Abdulai Natogma, Directors, Senior Officers, COs, Officers, Regimental Sergeant Major, Sergeant Majors, Soldiers, Civilian Staff, and Magajias.
