Develop programmes to meet challenges -Veep charges Armed Forces College
The Vice President, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, has charged the management of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) to develop programmes to meet the challenges of the times.
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He said, over the years, some of the best brains in Africa had pursued further education at the college, for which reason it behoved its leadership to develop programmes to enable it to effectively compete in the ever-changing environment.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 66 officers who pursued various programmes at the college, under Course 35 (Senior Division) of the GAFCSC, in Accra yesterday, Mr Amissah-Arthur said the government supported the ambition of the military high command to make the college a centre of excellence.
The graduates pursued post-graduate diploma courses in Defence and Conflict Studies, Master of Arts programmes in International Affairs, Diplomacy and Governance and Leadership.
Thirty-nine of them were commissioned Ghanaian officers drawn from the Ghana Army, the Ghana Navy and the Ghana Air Force.
The remaining 24 were commissioned officers from 11 African countries.
Commendation
The Vice President commended the college for developing a number of modules as well as its consistent efforts to improve academic standards, in view of the fact that it had sought accreditation to begin a Master’s programme in Defence and International Politics.
Mr Amissah-Arthur expressed appreciation to the University of Ghana and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) for collaborating with the college to run its programmes.
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“It is also gratifying to note that other institutions are supporting the college to expand the academic field of study,” he said. He also mentioned the Consolidated Discount House Limited (CDHL) as one of the institutions that provided financial support to the college to complete the installation and expansion of its Internet infrastructure and facilities.
Government support
The Vice President said the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) had sponsored a 50-suite block for residential courses in line with the government’s initiative to further resource the college to develop more attractive modules.
He advised the graduates to consistently make good choices based on the professional knowledge and traditional values imbued in them by the college.
“To whom much has been given, much is expected, ”he told the graduates, adding that their decisions would be subjected to scrutiny and that “no excuses will be accepted as error.”
He expressed the belief that the college would continue to excel so long as its products adhered to the values of honesty, discipline and hard work.
Report
Earlier in his report, the Commandant of the college, Air Vice Marshall Issifu Kadri, stated, among other things, that during the 2013/14 academic period, the college successfully ran modules in exclusive economic zone management, defence management, combined and joint African exercise, conflict and crisis management and integrated peace support operations.
“In pursuance of our resolve to ensure that the senior division course remained beneficial to our continent, these modules were opened to all security services, ministries, departments and private organisations,” he added.
Writer’s email: Sebastian.syme@graphic.com.gh