The Vice-President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has commended the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) for its consistency in producing leaders who combine intellectual rigour with operational competence.
Speaking at a ceremony during which 170 officers and students of the college graduated, the Vice-President described the college as a strategic national asset whose work went beyond the country’s borders to strengthen peace and security across Africa.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang reminded the graduates that their training was not merely an academic exercise but an investment in national and continental stability.
“Your success today is not only a personal achievement but also a national resource and an African asset.
The complex threats we face from terrorism and cybercrime to environmental degradation and resource conflicts demand officers and professionals who can think critically, act ethically and collaborate across borders,” she stated.
Joint ceremony
The graduates comprised 97 officers from the Senior Command and Staff Course 46; 36 students from the Master of Science (MSc) in Defence and International Politics, and 37 from the MSc in Defence and Security Studies.
Out of the 97 officers on the Senior Command and Staff Course, 67 were drawn from the Ghana Armed Forces, while 32 represented 15 allied African countries. The countries included Benin, Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Liberia, Malawi and Namibia.
The rest are Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia.
They were awarded the Passed Staff College (psc) symbol after having met the required academic and professional standards.
The programmes
The Senior Command and Staff Course, which lasted for 44 weeks, is designed to prepare mid-level officers of the Ghana Armed Forces and allied countries for higher command and staff responsibilities.
While the MSc in Defence and International Politics equips professionals with knowledge in global geopolitics, security dynamics and policymaking, the MSc in Security Studies emphasises interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking and leadership development to prepare participants for emerging and evolving security challenges.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang further encouraged the graduating class to remain humble, disciplined and innovative in their future assignments.
She reminded them that leadership in the security space was about service and sacrifice rather than privilege.
Awardees
Major F.D.A. Konadu of the Ghana Army (Engineers) emerged as the Honour Graduate, and also received the Chief of the Army Staff’s award, with Lieutenant Colonel P.P. Obuobi of the Ghana Army (Infantry) and Major J.N.O. Anim of the Ghana Army (Armoured Corps) placing second and third respectively.
The Chief of the Naval Staff’s Award went to Lt Commander I. Dazayawo of the Ghana Navy (Technical), while Squadron Leader V.O. Asiedu of the Ghana Air Force (Engineers) picked up the Chief of the Air Staff’s Award.
Squadron Leader T.D. Ogoinya of the Nigerian Air Force was adjudged the Best Allied Student, Lt Commander D. A. Koulagnan of the Cote d’Ivoire Navy received the Most Improved Student Award and Lt Col S.P. Chibbonta of the Zambian Army won the Everard Award.
