67 Graduate from Armed Forces Command and Staff College

Sixty-seven military officers, including 40 from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), were on Friday (August 16, 2019) awarded Master of Science (MSc) degrees in Defence and International Politics at a graduation ceremony held at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) at Teshie, near Accra.

Among the graduands were 27 officers from 13 African countries, including South Africa, Sierra Leone, Tanzania,Togo, Mali, Rwanda and Nigeria.

Others were 27 civilians and officers from security agencies, including the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah.

They undertook a year’s course in defence and security and other specially designed modules in exclusive economic zone management, conflict and crises management, as well as joint exercises and integrated peace operations.

The ceremony was attended by retired and current senior officers of the GAF, past commandants and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye.

Preparedness

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, expressed the confidence that the graduands, particularly those from Ghana, were adequately prepared to defend the sovereignty and integrity of the country.

He observed that  the GAFCSC had succeeded in establishing itself as a centre of excellence on the African continent and that it was not surprising to learn that products of the college were performing well and also taking up leadership positions in their respective countries.

‘General Mosquito’

The Vice-President jokingly told the general secretary of the NDC that apart from using knowledge acquired from the course to beef up the intellectual capacity of the NDC, it would also enhance his chances of being elected as running mate for his party, a comment which brought the entire auditorium alive.

“He is known as the general of mosquitoes and also the general secretary of the NDC.

“I was wondering whether the physical training exercises had added any more muscles for him, but it appears that it did not. He came here to beef up the intellectual capacity of the NDC and to also enhance his case to be selected as a running mate,” he added, to spontaneous laughter.

“More seriously, I really want to congratulate my friend, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah; he has shown that it can never be too late to acquire knowledge and I think you have done well,” Dr Bawumia said.

Collaborations

The Vice-President lauded the authorities of the college for collaborating with regional and international bodies and said in his position as the Chairman of the Ghana Armed Forces Council, he recognised that such international linkages were relevant in defence and security issues.

Dr Bawumia, therefore, advised the graduands to maintain existing friendship among them, since according to him, those relationships were fundamental in building knowledge networks on matters of national and international significance.

Concerns

The Commandant of the GAFCSC, Rear Admiral Moses Beick-Baffour, expressed regret that the continent was still grappling with conflicts, poverty, terrorism, piracy and other transnational crimes, which effects were trans-boundary.

The commandant said the college was making progress with its postgraduate programme which, he noted, had caught on well with the public, and that the college would soon commence discussions with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) to also run an MSc in Security Studies and PhD in Defence and International Politics.

Rear Admiral Beick-Baffour said the GAFCSC had successfully renewed its accreditation as a tertiary institution and was also at the final stages of renegotiating its institutional affiliation agreement with GIMPA for the next five years, as it instituted necessary measures to ensure the college attained a fully fledged university status.

He also acknowledged the support of the government, past commandants and other corporate bodies, including Ghana Gas, banks and the Youth Employment Agency, and appealed for more assistance to make the college realise its quest of becoming a centre of excellence.

An officer of the Ghana Army, Major Isaac K. Boako, was adjudged the Overall Best Student. He received the Chief of Army Staff’s  Award.