Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) – Major General (Maj Gen) Bismarck Kwasi Onwona has outlined his tenure’s strategic objectives, under a vision of maintaining a cohesive, motivated and well-rounded Army, capable of undertaking its mission of national defence, as part of GAF.
He spread out the framework when he visited troops of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Ghanaian Battalion 91 (GHANBATT 91), at the penultimate day of the climax of their Pre-Deployment Training (PDT) at the UN certified Army Peace Operations Training School (APOTS), Battle Training Camp (BTC), Bundase, on Thursday 8 August 2024.
In his interaction with All Ranks of APOTS and UNIFIL GHANBATT 91, Maj Gen BK Onwona exposited his Strategic Objectives to include Enhancing Combat Efficiency; Reviewing and Strengthening existing Operations; and issues of Surveillance, Communications and Mobility.
The plan also intends to reinforce intelligence capability and support; improve on collaboration and integration with other services and agencies, especially the media, continue with GAF’s expansion plan, and to operationalize Ghana Army’s Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) Bui and Obuasi.
General Onwona also aims to ensure delivery of relevant and efficient training, addressing critical challenges of existing training schools, continue coordination exercises with external partners, plan and execute exercises at all levels of command, and to deliver effective Administration at all Levels.
Others include ensuring a good promotion system, streamline arrangement for recruitment and employment of females in the Army, augment Guidance and Counselling provision at all levels, and to explore other opportunities for Internally Generated Funds (IGF).
It is also expected that the Logistics Support System would be revamped, address accommodation and infrastructure deficit, monitor and expedite completion of ongoing construction works, address equipment, weapon, ammunition and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) deficit, ensure high Operational Readiness and Robust Preparedness, and improve living conditions at the BTC, Bundase.
The outline adds up assessing and making quick impact interventions to ease infrastructure challenges, improve medical care, advance logistics capacity of 48 Engineer Regiment to support civil authority, and to elevate civil-military relations through good relations with civil society and the media.
As part of the visit, the COAS observed the final field training exercises of UNIFIL GHANBATT 91 codenamed EX TIZOM YAABA (which depicted likely scenarios peacekeepers would encounter); whereby the Battalion’s Headquarters Company demonstrated Denial of Access; Alpha Company enacted Routine in Base Camp (shelling and fire outbreak), Bravo showed Armed Hunter Encounter, while Charlie Company acted Combat Life Savers, and Medical Evacuation.
The COAS also cut sod for the construction of a 1000-seater APOTS multipurpose Mess, inspected a 100-bed accommodation renovated by APOTS, and commissioned an ablution unit renovated and co-sponsored by UNIFIL GHANBATT 91 and Nana Abena Nyarkoah II – a traditional ruler and business woman, after which he held the All Ranks durbar.
Present at the occasion included the Commander, Army Training Command – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Stephen Woseadzikpo Kweku Parbey; Deputy Chief Staff Officer, Army, Operations and Training – Brig Gen Kweku Dankwa Hagan; Director, Army Peacekeeping Operations – Colonel (Col) John Danso-Ankrah; Commander, APOTS – Col Clement Kojo Dingane;
Others were the Commanding Officer (CO), UNIFIL GHANBATT 91 – Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Isaac Kobe Boako; Acting Chief Instructor, APOTS – Lt Col Augustin Assibuor; Service Financial Comptroller, Army – Lt Col Brown; Service Public Relations Officer, Army – Lt Col Belinda Amarteifio; Senior Officers, Officers, APOTS and UNIFIL GHANBATT 91 Regimental Sergeant Majors, Instructors and Soldiers.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
