Kofi Ampeah Woode
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Ghanaian Battalion 90 (GHANBATT 90) rounded off its activities with a donation of a set of musical instruments to the Army Peace Operations Training School (APOTS), and a number of learning aids to the New Life Academy, Bundase.
A representation of the GHANBATT were present at the Battle Training Camp (BTC), Bundase, which hosts APOTS, on Thursday 3 October 2024, with the Commanding Officer (CO) – Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Frank Kwesi Agyeman, and his Deputy – Lt Col Nii Sowah Rudolph, leading the charge.
In making the presentation to APOTS, Lt Col FK Agyeman said, in the process of the GHANBATT’s Pre-Deployment Training (PDT), the Battalion identified the gap of the lack of musical instruments, and thus made arrangements to provide the solution, and sought clearance from the Office of the Chief of Army Staff, and got approval for the quest.
He said the presentation of the musical instruments is not only to fill the identified gap, but to also use it as an expression of gratitude to APOTS, for equipping the GHANBATT 90 adequately, to go through the challenges during its tour in southern Lebanon.
Receiving the gift, Commander, APOTS – Col Clement Kojo Dingane, used the occasion to chide COs of other GHANBATTS and Companies who have made various presentations to other institutions after their tour of duty, but did not consider to assuage the inadequacies of the institution that trained them to fulfil their peace support operations mandate.
He continued that the UN-certified APOTS, being only 3 years old, has lots of gaps that need to be filled to become a fully-fledged international institution, and that the presentation is remarkable, as the items presented are direly needed, to provide means of entertainment to all the troops that the school trains.
He said APOTS is currently focused on getting more places for students to sleep, be tutored, and acquiring training aids, “and it is therefore heartwarming to have one CO among all the COs, remember APOTS, after the completion of mission. GHANBATT 90 and its CO will always be remembered and we will not forget the classroom that you gave us, which is the best so far of all”.
The set of instruments, which cost USD1800, comprises of a set of Yamaha drums, 4-in-1 digital cordless microphone, Yamaha keyboard, and a 3-channel Combo.
The learning aids which UNIFIL GHANBATT 90 gave to the New Life Academy School, of the Tema Baptist Church, comprises of several workbooks, colourful pencil sharpeners, which were presented by Lt Col Rudolph to the Head Teacher – Mr Emmanuel Terkutey Forzie, who said the school, based in Bundase – which has 25 pupils, was founded in 2013, had to stop until 2 years ago, when it was revived.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
