Kofi Ampeah Woode
Southern Command (SCOMD) – the TARANTULA – Headquarters (HQ), a Formation of the Ghana Army (GA) has exceptionally marked the West Africa Soldier Social Activity (WASSA) with exciting activities to motivate personnel and family, take stock of the preceded year 2022 and psyche up for the proceeding 2023.
Events that commemorated the SCOMD WASSA ’22 on Friday, 23 December, 2022 were games such as Inter-Departmental volleyball, ludo, amusement shooting contest, soccer, tug-of-peace, and crowned with a durbar where the Special Guest and the Guest-of-Honour were Major General (Maj Gen) Thomas Oppong-Peprah – Chief of the Army Staff and Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Emmanuel Okyere (Rtd) – National Security Advisor, respectively.
Other guests included Special Advisor for Accra Initiative – Maj Gen Adu-Amanfo, Commandant, Ghana Military Academy – Maj Gen Charles Awity, former General Officer Commanding (GOC), SCOMD – Brig Gen Oppong-Kyekyeku, Paramount Chief of Teshie – Gbetsorlor Nii Ashitey Akumfra III, President of Ghana Shooting Sports – Cillian Walsh, Commanding Officers, Officers, Regimental Sergeant Majors, Senior Warrant Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers, Soldiers & Defence Civilian Staff.
Brig Gen E Okyere predicted that a lot will be expected of soldiers in year 2023, in the area of Internal Security operations such as Operation HALT II – stopping illegal miners (Galamsey), adding that success will largely depend on sound intelligence and total commitment to defend Ghana at all cost.
Urging all personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to keep their ears on the ground at all times and remain selfless and focused on the performance of your duties, he quoted the Duke of Wellington who once said “All the business of war, and indeed all the business of life, is to endeavour to find out what you don’t know from what you do know”.
The GOC, SCOMD – Brig Gen Michael Ayisi Amoah, in an address reviewing the year 2022 to the gathered, said despite the trying times of 2022, the Command trained and conducted operations successfully, to support the Civil Authorities, as assigned by the Military High Command.
Operations CALM LIFE, HALT II and MOTHERLAND, among many others were also undertaken, alongside Command level Training Exercises KULLUM SHIRRI (a 2-day Inter-Unit March and Shoot Exercise) and FIRE STORM (a 2-day Inter-Unit shooting exercise).
Under the year in review, SCOMD also embarked on some self-help projects such as renovating the old Command Headquarters, restructuring and rehabilitating the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) accommodation and Single Transit Quarters for visiting and attached soldiers, and an Extension Block for the Command Headquarters – which is currently ongoing.
General Ayisi Amoah thus called on Ghana’s corporate community to continue to support the military anytime it becomes necessary, to help to keep the nation more safe; whilst he charged his troops to join in the crusade to strengthen civil-military cooperation and to foster better relations with other sister security agencies.
The Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku – Mr Benjamin Narteh Ayiku, made a presentation of a cow (which actually is his third annual presentation to SCOMD) and an undisclosed cash amount to the Command to boost morale of troops, and to work together to maintain peace within the Ledzokuku Municipality, wherein SCOMD HQ is located.
Furthermore, SCOMD HQ gave individual Christmas gifts of 4.5kg bag of rice, 1 litre of cooking oil and 1 live fowl to every personnel of the Command.
Institutions and persons who supported SCOMD to mark the 2022 WASSA included Dr John Watson Otumfuo – Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mayfair Estates Ltd, La Bianca Company Ltd, Nduman Fishing Company, Bel-Aqua Company, Mr Sampson Opare-Agyemang – CEO, Silicon Pro Ltd, Multibity Ventures, Laboma Beach, GOIL Filling Station – Teshie, Office of Nungua Mantse, Mr Victor Gatri.
