Kofi Ampeah Woode
Ghana Armed Forces’ (GAF) Defence Mechanical Transport Battalion (Def MT Bn) held a momentous Handing/Taking Over (HTO) ceremony, at which Colonel (Col) Justina Akosua Frimpong – the first female Commanding Officer (CO) of the Unit handed over the reins of leadership to another female – Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Faustina Dennison.
The HTO took place at the Headquarters of the Battalion, Burma Camp, Accra, on Friday 20 September 2024, and was supervised by the Commander, Support Services Brigade Group (SP SVCS BDE GP) – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Selassie Gagakuma, and the Director, Support and Transport (S&T) – Col Fusheini Abdulai Natogma.
Brig Gen SK Gagakuma, speaking to Col JA Frimpong fulfilling her mandate, recalled that earlier, due to her effectiveness, higher command had desired her appointment as CO, as a Major.
He also recounted how SP SVCS BDE GP acquired a Young Soldiers’ Transit Quarters which commenced construction in 2016 and got stalled, however through the instrumentation of Col Frimpong, the facility was completed and commissioned.
The Commander stated, “The period of her command has been very short however, it is not the time one serves in command that matters but the output”, and then said that the most important part of the S&T Corps, is the preservation of unity, never allowing any issues, personal or corporate, to divide its front, cautioning, “the very day we try to play factions will spell doom”.
He further described Col Frimpong, now designated Director, Operations and Training at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Logistics, as quite firm as CO, Def MT Bn, which has the notoriety of being one of the most challenging Units in GAF.
The Commander thus used that attribute of the outgone CO, to counsel the new CO – Lt Col F Dennison to emulate same, admonishing that the moment the CO bends the rules and allows one person to get away with wrong, she/he loses out completely.
Col JA Frimpong assumed command of Def MT Bn on Friday 17 February 2023, with a mandate of providing support to the movement of troops and logistics, by assisting Units and Commands of GAF, a charge of which she is adjudged to have discharged pretty well.
She is credited with ensuring that the Battalion’s vehicles were up to standard; that all Troops Carrying Vehicles (TCV), which were off the road due to lack of tyres and batteries, were fixed;
She provided comfort and welfare of troops by availing a listening ear, being there for troops in difficult moments to help ease stress; provided office space for troops to sit and operate, by refurbishing C Company Shed – which was meant for cars, which the command no longer operates, leaving it in a deplorable state and buses packed at the Square in the open at the mercy of the weather.
With the help of General Thomas Oppong-Peprah and Brig Gen Gagakuma, Young Soldiers who were living under tents, were provided with a 52-bed capacity accommodation; attention was given to personnel caught in substance abuse, whereby 2 Soldiers addicted to drugs were rehabilitated, by the help of 37 Military Hospital, and the Pantang Hospital.
Another area Col Frimpong gave prime attention to was the consciousness of and commitment to family systems by her personnel, to help them ease the stressful nature of their itinerary, and help them effectively and efficiently discharge their duties, and prepare them for after-work.
Brig Gen Gagakuma also highly commended the new CO for her part played during GAF’s Operation COVID SAFETY throughout the pandemic, where Lt Col Dennison, as Operations Officer, virtually run the Logistics Operation.
Present at the ceremony included Col Bessa Kwao-Adotey – Deputy Director-General, International Peace Support Operations; Col Harry Keelson – Director, Logistics, National College of Defence Studies; Col Abdulai Karimu Azumah – Command Logistics Officer, 15 Armoured Brigade, representation of Ghana Military Academy Regular Career Course Intake 45, Officers, Soldiers, Defence Civilian Staff, and family and friends of personnel.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
