Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) has held a Joint Graduation Ceremony for its Senior Command and Staff Course 45 for ninety-seven (97) military middle-level and Staff Officers from seventeen (17) African Armed Forces, and the ninth Weekend Master of Science in Defence and International Politics (MDIP) Class of 2024, for 42 Civil and Public Servants, Politicians, Security Services, Media and Corporate personnel.
The academic completion ceremony at the Hamidu Hall of GAFCSC, on Friday 23 August 2024, crowns what commenced on Friday 8 September 2023, with 98 soldiers from Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra-Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia, who have earned the use of the symbol “psc” – passed staff course.
The Guest of Honour for the occasion was Vice President of Ghana, and Chairman of the Armed Forces Council – His Excellency (HE) Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, stated in his address that most allied countries have sought to secure additional vacancies at GAFCSC to train their Officers, as a result of the increase in the course capacity from 85 previously, to 98 students.
Concerning Ghana’s oncoming General Elections, HE Dr Bawumia said, regardless of their free and fair nature over the years, they have regrettably, been fraught with security challenges and in some instances, resulted in fatalities, although governments have always depended on GAF’s professionalism, discipline and resolve to discharge their duties without fear or favour.
He, admitting an era of intense misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting both the civil populace, Armed Forces and the government, cautioned that such acts do not only have the potential to throw Ghana into a state of anarchy, but also impact on the wider security of the West African Region.
He encouraged the graduated Officers to dwell on what they have been taught, to conduct themselves professionally, after being given detailed insight into the democratic control of the military, for it is imperative to ensure that stability and the tenets of democracy are upheld always.
In that vein, the Vice President expressed elation that as part of efforts to produce an operationally efficient middle level leadership, the training focus in the College has been further broadened to include key topical issues that border on governance, diplomacy and national development.
The activities of GAFCSC for the 2023/2024 academic year comprising military and academic programmes, was overseen by three successive Commandants within the year, namely; Major General (Maj Gen) Irvine Nii-Aryeetey Ayittey – Commandant, National College of Defence Studies; Maj Gen Bismarck Kwasi Onwona – Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), GAF; and now Maj Gen Matthew Kweku Essien.
The military component enabled students to develop the needed capacity to appreciate the complex nature of modern security concerns with respect to Ghana, the African continent and the world in general.
Packaged modules for the Military and Academic programmes were: Maritime Governance, Defence Management, Conflict and Crisis Management, Counter-Terrorism and Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Courses, and a new module – Multi-Domain Operations.
The Senior Command and Staff Course 45 undertook Regional and Africa Study Tours in November 2023 and May 2024 respectively, which were designed to enhance the research capabilities of students on topical, local and continental issues, as well as to broaden their outlook of local and international geopolitics.
For the Regional Study Tour, the students conducted research in the Greater Accra, North East, Oti, Upper East and Western Regions of Ghana on the topic: Assessing the long-term prospects of Ghana’s Democracy and Economic Development in the Context of Credible Elections.
The Africa Study Tour was conducted to Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria, under the theme; Assessing the Recent Surge in Incidents of Military Coups in Africa and the Impact on the Democratic Aspirations of the Continent.
The academic year also witnessed the organization of a Public Lecture on Monday 1 July 2024 on the topic “Reflections on the Democratic Control over the Military: A way forward for sustainability”.
The Military College commences its PhD in Defence and International Politics programme in September 2024, with ten (10) students drawn from the military, sister security services, Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the private sector, and the media.
After a grueling technical evaluation by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), GAFCSC is to acquire a Presidential Charter as an autonomous tertiary educational institution and, subsequently, a constituent college for the establishment of Ghana’s National Defence University.
GAFCSC completed/initiated projects through its Internally Generated Funds (IGF) over the academic year, such as; a) Facelift of the entrance to the College and the greening of the compound; b) Procuring of 110 laptops for Faculty and students; c) Refurbishment of offices and the Mess; d) Acquisition of 2 Smart Boards for Hamidu and Ankrah Halls, upgrade of audiovisual equipment, a digital lectern and cameras to facilitate online learning.
Also, e) Network infrastructure upgrades included purchase, upgrade and extension of fiber optic backbone and purchase of new manageable switches; f) Purchase of 3 new servers for digitization process; g) Purchase of time attendance/access control devices for the Server Room, Commandant’s Office and the Quarter Master Yard to enhance security; h) 4th Edition of the College Journal – “African Journal of Defence, Security and Strategy’’.
At the Awards, the Winners were;
HONOUR GRADUATE and COAS Award – Major (Maj) E Kuudogrme; 2ND BEST – Maj T Dawson-Ahmoah; 3RD BEST – Maj K Owusu-Gyimah; CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF Award – Lieutenant Commander D Osei Anaso; CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF Award – Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) AO Dawson-Ahmoah; BEST ALLIED STUDENT Award – Sqn Ldr US Brown; MOST IMPROVED STUDENT – Maj SAF Apata; EVERARD Award – Maj M Osman.
BEST MDIP STUDENT – Maj EK Gamor; 2ND BEST MDIP – Maj MA Kuudogrme; 3RD BEST MDIP, and 2ND BEST COMMANDANT’S RESEARCH PAPER – Maj CPB Sanou; BEST COMMANDANT’S RESEARCH PAPER – Maj AP Tapsoba; 3RD BEST COMMANDANT’S RESEARCH PAPER – Sqn Ldr C Mensah.
MDIP CLASS OF 2024 OVERALL AWARDS:
OVERALL BEST, and BEST DISSERTATION – Alhaji Nuhu Alhassan Dicko; 2ND OVERALL BEST – Madam Sima Ellimas Abubakari; 3RD BEST – Madam Rabiatu Alhassan; 2ND BEST DISSERTATION – Mr Yaw Duodu; 3RD BEST DISSERTATION – Assistant Superintendent of Immigration Michael Kaamo Ayaim.
Dignitaries present included; Chief of the Defence Staff, GAF – Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah; COAS – Maj Gen BK Onwona; Chief of the Naval Staff – Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu; Chief of the Air Staff – Air Vice Marshal Frederick Kwasi Asare Bekoe; Chief Director Ministry of Defence – Dr Evans Dzikum; Rector, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration – Professor Samuel Bonsu; Defence Attaches of foreign embassies in Ghana.
Others were Acting Deputy Commandant, GAFCSC – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Albert Kwadwo Dawohoso; Assistant Commandant, Senior Division – Air Commodore Thomas Nii Fio Okai; Deputy Inspector General of Police – Commissioner of Police Christian Yehonu; Generals, Senior Officers; both serving and retired, Officers, members of Teshie Traditional Council, Forces and Service Sergeant Majors, spouses and families of the graduates.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
