Kofi Ampeah Woode
The contributions of MAYFAIR ESTATES LTD in supporting the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to fulfill its mandate of protecting the territorial integrity of Ghana and helping in maintaining Internal Security, is worthy of high mention and befitting the award of the Order of the Star of Ghana.
GAF’s relationship with MAYFAIR sets a good example of Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC – the means by which a military command establishes formal relations with national, local authorities, the civilian population, international organizations and others, in its area of responsibilities), classically defined in the Ghanaian context, in which civilians willingly give to support their military.
Supporting the military is of prime importance, for the military makes incredible sacrifices on behalf of the populace that mostly goes unnoticed. Additionally, civilians standing by the military help improve morale and operational readiness amongst the Armed Forces, and it is the right thing to do.
In developed nations, there are formal set schemes through the political authorities in charge of the military to receive civilian help, including monetary, to address identified needs of the military. For example in the United States of America there is the Department of Defence Points of Contact for the Acceptance of Gifts, with telephone, fax numbers and location addresses. It is the case in Europe also.
The case of GAF is no different in concept, except to state that challenges of accommodation and equipment have been quite acute, thus, whereas elsewhere, it may be termed Points of Contact for the Acceptance of Gifts, GAF’s 3 Services would definitely direct such assistance to equipment and accommodation needs.
For instance, there are some situations at military camps where personnel and their families living there are quite depressing, to say the least, for Officer and Other Ranks alike, and even sometimes Senior Officers. Until recent times where there have been palpable actionable effort to address some of these challenges, there had been times when soldiers on pre-operational trainings had had to sleep in tents for protracted periods, in rain and shine, as if it were part of the concentration exercise.
In situations where some accommodations have been available, they were clearly deficient, considering demand and provision, and also the type of near-colonial structures that even those who were fortunate to be allotted, obtained – the small length, breadth and height of asbestos-roofed blocks, doubtfully factored the containment of the soldier and his family, to help ease him/her from the already depressing nature of the professional military career.
The Chief of the Defence Staff, GAF – Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Thomas Yaw Oppong-Peprah remarked in an address to soldiers: “WE ALSO DESERVE THE BEST”. Thinking hard on such a statement, one would appreciate why the GAF is deemed in international circles as very professional, for in the face of dire constraints all this while, they have committed and stayed true to their mandate.
It is about time Ghanaians, and for that matter Africans generally, came to terms with the knowledge that PEACE – which is a prerequisite for socioeconomic development in every setting of human endeavour – IS A PRODUCT. Peace is produced just like canned foods, condoms, shoes, electricity etc.), it must therefore, be produced by some people under certain conditions, and does not automatically come.
I once asked a famous priest and his large congregation, when I had the privilege to request his church to donate to help a Unit of GAF. I rhetorically asked them why their church does not have branches in specific war-torn countries. I followed up that if Ghana did not have peace, their organization would hardly set up a branch in the country.
Same obtains for all socioeconomic activities in any country, thus, the product called peace, and whoever produces it, should be helped to keep its ‘production’, of course by all stakeholders, especially beneficiaries.
The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:7 – “And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall you have peace”. Scripture self-explained.
It is in this vein that MAYFAIR ESTATES LIMITED, headed by Dr John Watson Otumfuo, needs to be highly commended by all authorities concerned, for such extraordinary sacrifices to Ghana’s military. Here are the reasons PEACE JOURNAL posits that Dr Otumfuo deserves such commendation, and that his gestures to GAF be mimed by the corporate cohort in Ghana:
MAYFAIR Ltd has 1) donated materials, cash, and regularly made monthly allowances for GA’s Southern Command (S/COMD) Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), 2) provided sponsorships for various Units of GA, 3) greatly helped in the construction of the Bui Forward Operating Base (FOB) – which is to be used by the Army and Air Force.
Fourthly, the organization provided financial help to support the construction of GA’s Dokokyina FOB, 5) mainly funded the renovations of the Army Recruit Training School (ARTS), Shai-Hills, 6) financed 80% of the reconstruction of Ghana Air Force Base, Accra ‘Big Brother’ Officers’ 4 apartments block, and 7) reconstructed a facility for the Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Corps (EME) behind the Base Workshop, Burma Camp, Accra.
Additionally, 8) Mayfair Estates built the Ahuma Otumfuo Junior Ranks Mess, Burma Camp, 9) fully constructed 1 block 4 chamber-and-hall units for S/COMD Soldiers’ Accommodation, 10) constructed all of S/COMD’s fence wall, 11) constructed the Ghana Military Police’s (GMP) National Dogs Academy – 4 blocks accommodation complex, including sports pitches for trainers, and 12) constructed accommodation for 153 Soldiers.
MAYFAIR also built 13) constructed 15 units accommodation for GMP Soldiers, 14) is constructing a five 4-storey 20 flats 2-bedroom blocks at Duala, Burma Camp for Warrant Officers (WOs) – two blocks are completed, and 15) in conjunction with GA, constructing a 4 executive and 16 standard suites and ancillary facilities Accra Army Lodge (Hotel) at Burma Camp, with an events center, a 500-capacity car park (to which it has so far provided 90% of funding, with Ghana Army providing 10%).
Mayfair Estates is also 16) currently constructing the 80-bed exclusive military hospital at Duala Barracks, Army Officers’ Lodge, and 17) the Stamping of pavements around Nicholson Stadium, Burma Camp.
MAYFAIR COMMERCIAL PROJECTS
On the profile of the company, MAYFAIR ESTATES has constructed over one hundred and fifty (150) detached houses of 3 to 6-bedrooms at Airport Hills, East Airport, minimum, and has some 17 storey-building apartments and detached houses in a gated community at Kanda, Accra.
At East Legon and Adjiringanor affluent suburbs of Accra, the company has commenced construction of flats, and the additional construction of some events centers, a shopping mall, hotel, more apartments, and office blocks at the fall of 2023.
Dr Otumfuo, who is a son to Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Ahuma Otumfuo (Rtd) – former Commanding Officer, Base Workshop, is an Old Student of St Augustine’s College, Cape Coast and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. He has been awarded for excellence by the Ghana-West Africa Business Excellence Awards 2024, and the Ghana Real Estates Association, amidst other awards, variously.
It goes without saying that there also are some other distinguished individuals and corporate organizations that need to be commended for their selfless help to Services, Formations, Units and Detachments of GAF. KUDOS TO YOU ALL!!!
