Kofi Ampeah Woode
The German Armed Forces Technical Advisory Group (GAFTAG) has presented a 3-storey accommodation 154-bed with a multifunctional room, adjoining kitchen and a dining building, to the Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Technical Training School (EMETTS) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The handing over ceremony of the GHS8.5 million facility christened BERND FREI HOSTEL, took place on Friday 27 September 2024, at Burma Camp, Accra, with the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS), Administration and Personnel, General Headquarters, GAF – Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Felix Adom Asante, as the Guest of Honour.
The Guest of Honour of the occasion said, the continuous close cooperation between GAF and GAFTAG, has accrued substantial benefits, especially in the area of infrastructural development in many Units within Ghana’s military, including classrooms, office complex, workshops and laboratories at EMETTS.
In addition to the infrastructural projects, he said, GAFTAG continues to equip EMETTS with tools and equipment required for training.
He commended Lt Col Bernd Frei – immediate past Head of Mission, GAFTAG – after whom the building is christened – in recognition of his sacrifices, outstanding leadership and commitment towards the commencement and delivery of several projects, during his 2-year stewardship of GAFTAG in GAF.
He added that the Bernd Frei Hostel facility has come to ameliorate the age old accommodation challenge facing students at the School, and to support the expansion drive of the EMETTS, with which the institution can now run parallel courses simultaneously.
GAFTAG Head of Mission – Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Andreas Hessleswerdt said in his presentation that facilities have been designed and implemented by the construction companies in such a way that, modern, future-oriented and sustainable accommodation, can take place in this building.
Lt Col A Hessleswerdt further said that learning is easier when the necessary parameters are provided by modern accommodation, such as the given building, which was constructed using reinforced concrete frame construction with hollow blocks.
Giving details of the facility, he said the complex which was commenced from 1 October 2022, and completed on 15 August 2024, contains 28 accommodation rooms of 13.7m² each for 4 Soldiers, and 6 accommodation rooms of 16.5m² each for 6 Soldiers, with all rooms equipped with TV connection, 2 fans, smoke detectors, bunk beds and built-in wardrobes.
The structure also has toilets, showers, washbasins, urinals, and two washbasins at each end of the building in the corridors.
The Commanding Officer (CO) EMETTS – Lt Col Emmanuel Essilfie Oddom said the quest by the EME Corps to increase the accommodation capacity for students of the school, was mooted years ago.
He stated also that, the Memorandum of Understanding for GAFTAG’s next cycle of projects for GAF, which captured this project, was signed in November 2020, with the support of the Department of Plans, Research and Development.
He said construction commenced at a time when Lt Col Bernd Frei was the Head of Mission, GAFTAG, with Col Francis Sasu as Director, EME, and Col Eric Nyarko as CO, EMETTS.
The CO stated however that, EMETTS urgently needs more classrooms, workshops, labs, an auditorium for central lectures, a library to meet infrastructure requirements of the expansion drive, and requested that the dusty road in the frontage of the School be given an asphalt surface, to reduce the dust and the bad state during the rainy season.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
