Kofi Ampeah Woode
A Thanksgiving Church Service has been held to mark the successful tour of duty, and the safe return home to Ghana of all 700 personnel of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Ghanaian Battalion 11 (GHANBATT 11).
The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Ghana Army – Major General (Maj Gen) Bismarck Kwasi Onwona, as the Guest of Honour, declared that the successful tour of duty is a testament of the professionalism, discipline and diligence of the Ghanaian soldier, at the service which was held at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC), Michel Camp, on Sunday 20 October 2024.
General Onwona, who incidentally was the leader of the Medals Delegation to South Sudan for the UN Peacekeeper’s Medal Presentation ceremony of UNMISS GH 11 in May 2024, said that it is important that the virtues that distinguishes the Ghanaian soldier from others, especially in peacekeeping theaters, are upheld at all times.
Speaking to the congregants, the COAS said, on the basis of his experience in the Mission Area, he fully believes that the Thanksgiving Service is a befitting show of gratitude and appreciation to God, an acknowledgement of His mercies and the protection that He afforded the Battalion, for the thirteen months they spent, given the difficult environment of operations.
“The Unit without doubt was deployed in the most difficult terrain within South Sudan, where mobility by road was virtually impossible, even in the dry season, due to constant flooding and the absence of motorable roads”, he added.
Giving further description of the environment, he added that apart from the extreme harsh weather conditions – with temperatures sometimes soaring as high as 45ᵒ Celsius, the entire Unity State, where the GHANBATT was deployed, had been flooded since 2021, and most farmlands had turned into lakes.
Armed groups, divided not only along political lines but also tribal lines, conducted cattle raids, always leaving in their wake heavy casualties among the local population, yet the Battalion worked tirelessly and beyond expectations, to achieve their mission towards the overall attainment of the UNMISS Mandate, the Ghana Army Commander said.
He added that the extensive operational activities, such as Short and Long Duration Patrols, Dynamic Air Patrols, Night and Day Dyke Monitoring Patrols, and Force Protection duties were all conducted with remarkable successes.
He however, cited as the highest point of distinction, the extensive Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) activities of UNMISS GHANBATT 11 – one of which was a veterinary outreach program where over 27,000 cattle, sheep and goats of local herders were vaccinated and treated of various ailment – to win not only the hearts and minds of the local population, but also help to bring hope and relief to the poor and the desperate, which projected the good image of Ghana.
The COAS spoke of his pride and satisfaction when both the Force Commander, and the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) variously commented that at UNMISS HQ, the staff affectionately call the mission ‘GHANMISS’, and the South Sudanese Armed Forces and County Commissioners, were full of praise for the GHANBATT.
Colonel (Col) Dominic Ampomah – the Commanding Officer (CO), UNMISS GHANBATT 11, and 1 Infantry Battalion (1Bn) – who formed the nucleus of the Battalion – said he saw the need to begin the Mission, by dedicating the GHANBATT into the hands of God and prioritizing Him in every issue.
This was evident in the 3-day fasting and prayers declared for the entire GHANBATT from 19-21 October 2023, 3-5 January and 21-23 August 2024, in addition to routine Monday to Friday Morning Devotion and Sunday church service by Christians and Friday prayers by Moslems within the GHANBATT, which served as spiritual exercises that provided avenues for God’s divine grace to the Battalion, he said.
UNMISS GHANBATT 11 took command on Friday 29 September 2023, with a mission to maintain a discipline, highly motivated Officers and Soldiers, possessing a sense of initiative and winning attitude, and ready to undertake all assigned duties, with priority on force protection, to ensure a successful mission accomplishment, he continued.
He said of a fire incident in October 2023, where the GHANBATT Post Exchange Shop in Juba Administration Base – which was made of plywood and roofing sheets – was razed by fire, as the challenge that tested the resolve, resilience and resourcefulness of the GHANBATT, and was reconstructed into a multipurpose 2-storey facility made of ship containers, and now include a barbering shop, storeroom, transit accommodation for troops and medical aid post.
The highlight of the Battalion’s operational excellence was in November 2023, when armed battle ensued between two feuding armed groups in Leer, where UNMISS GHANBATT 11’s Charlie Company was located, operating under the priority mandate of Protection of Civilians.
Using both kinetic and non-kinetic approach, the Company engaged the County Commissioner and the leadership of the 2 feuding armed groups, helped save the lives of over 10,000 civilians, protected about 1200 civilians caught up in the fire fight, established a concentration area for 148 humanitarian aid workers, provided a safe passage for the evacuation of some workers, whiles the injured were treated at the Company’s UN Level 1 Hospital.
UNMISS Force Commander – Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Mohan Subramanaian, in appreciation of the excellent performance by GHANBATT 11, paid a 3-day working visit to the GHANBATT Headquarters, and visited the Leer Company Operating Base, where he awarded troops with his commendation certificates.
The CO and 70 All Ranks of the GHANBATT were presented with certificates of commendation and a citation from the Force Commander, for their efforts and contribution to Unity States and towards achieving the UNMISS mandate, whiles 100 All Ranks received certificates of commendation from Sector Unity Commander.
About 20% of the Battalion – which had 73 females in fulfilment of the UN Policy – comprising both Officers and Soldiers were promoted within the period, with the CO, his Deputy, the Chief Operations Officer, the Maintenance Officer, among others, were all promoted in rank.
Dignitaries present included the Former Head of Field Office, UNMISS Bentiu Field Office – Mr Kwame Aboagye-Dwamena; Commander Army Peace Operations Training School – Col Clement Kojo Dingane; Director, Operations, National Security – Col Prince Eric Tandoh; Staff Officers at Army Headquarters Southern Command, Commanding Officers, Officers, the Clergy, Sergeant Major of the Army – Master Warrant Officer Ansah-Yeboah Isaac, Regimental Sergeant Majors, Soldiers and Defence Civilian Staff.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
