Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Technical Training School (EMETTS) has commenced its Basic Class 3 Course 1, 2024 (BC3C 1-24), to give potential tradesmen a solid foundation in various trades, and equip them with basic skills to overcome challenges that ever-evolving advancement in technology brings on the repair and maintenance of military equipment.
The opening ceremony for the 22-week BC3C 1-24, which also was for the 1st Semester of the Accra Technical University (ATU) Certificate Program, took place on Thursday 8 February 2024, at the Forecourt of EMETTS, Burma Camp, Accra, with the Chief Guest being the Director, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers – Colonel (Col) Henry Nditsi.
The Guest of Honour stated to the one hundred and seventy-eight (178) participants that their being part of the Course is in pursuit of GAF’s objective of enhancing intellectual development and training of personnel, to be professionally competent in various trades for operations, both in peace and in war.
Entreating both students and staff of the School to maintain high standards and professionalism throughout the period of the course, Col Nditsi said EMETTS is still saddled with inadequate training aids and other facilities for the smooth running of courses at the School, and has urgent need of such facilities as a library, research lab, classrooms and an auditorium amongst many.
He assured that much is being done to make EMETTS one of the best professional development institutions in GAF, and that the Military High Command, in collaboration with the German Armed Forces Technical Advisory Group (GAFTAG), have provided massive infrastructure and equipment support to the School, of recent being the ultra-modern Mechatronics Centre.
In his opening remarks, the Commanding Officer (CO), EMETTS – Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Emmanuel Ajedu Odoom indicated that BC3C 1-24 assembled on 14 January 2024, with the 178 students made up of 146 from the Army, 15 from the Navy, 14 from the Air Force, 2 Defence Civilian Staff and 1 Civilian, with 2 students returned to their Units during the second week, on grounds of ill health.
He said the course is foundational for potential tradesmen with the desire to be employed in Electrical Mechanical Engineering (EME)-oriented roles and trades in GAF, and is divided into two modules: Module 1 covering a period of 10 weeks – during which period, the students undertake core subjects to prepare them for Module 2 – which is the Trade Specialization phase for 12 weeks.
For the basic course, the CO said, 100 students have enrolled for certificate in the 4 programs run by the ATU, whiles 49 have applied to partake in the Ghana Education Service (GES), and Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) Diploma programs, in 5 other trades, apart from those run by the ATU.
After the enrollment process of the course, all participants went through an extensive orientation process, and wrote the opening test, and 1st Basic Fitness Test (BFT).
Present at the ceremony included the Command Logistics Officer, Southern Command – Col Eric Nyarko, Senior Officers, Commanding Officers, representatives from the GAFTAG, and from ATU, Regimental Sergeant Majors, and Instructors.
