GAF holds land combat, power demonstration at Bundase

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has held a land combat and power demonstration at the Battle Training Camp (BTC) in Bundase.

The annual event was aimed at helping students of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) Senior Division to appreciate the fire assets available to a battle group and how they were employed within the operational framework of deep, close and rear operations.

The exercise also involved the demonstration of medical support for tactical operations, with personnel demonstrating tactical casualty care.

In all, 98 students constituting Course 45, participated in the exercise.

They were selected from Ghana and other African countries including, Gambia, Guinea, Benin, Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia.

This year’s exercise  was conducted by the Five Infantry Battalion as the lead battalion, supported by elements of One and Two Infantry Battalions of the Southern Command, including the 66 Artillery Regiment, 17 Signal Brigade, 15 Armoured Brigade, the 48 Engineer Regiment and the Army Special Operations Brigade.

The Ghana Navy and the Ghana Air Force also played critical roles in the joint operations.

In attendance were some members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, Military Attaches, Chief of the Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, Service Commanders and representatives from the US Embassy, among others.

Commendation

Deputy Minister of Defence, Kofi Amankwa-Manu, has commended the soldiers for their selfless service to the nation and also living up to their constitutional mandate.

He said the GAF was a professional body trained to protect the territorial borders of the country and expressed appreciation to personnel for various operations they had embarked on such as Halt, Calm Life, Ahodwo and Boafo among others which were all aimed at preserving the peace in the country.

“We must preserve our status as a democratic nation and jealously guard against  seemingly innocuous unpatriotic activities that have the potential to derail our achievements over the years,” the deputy minister said.

He, therefore, urged the GAF to intensify training to put them in readiness to defeat any potential adversary whose objective was to see the nation fail.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Southern Command, Major General Michael  Amoah Ayisi, said the protection of the territorial integrity of the country against external aggression was a constitutional mandate of the GAF.

He said GAF also had a secondary responsibility of maintaining the internal security of the country, supported by civil authority, adding that the army was the lead service in any land based operations towards the fulfilment of their constitutional mandate.

Major General Amoah-Ayisi said it was, therefore, in fulfilment of this national call that the army regularly trained and exercised rigorously to sharpen their skills in readiness for any eventualities.

He said the reality of threats posed by terrorist armed groups within the West African sub region was palpable and that the exercise was geared towards registering the firm resolve to also deal with such threats.

He gave the assurance that the GAF was always dependable and ready to deal with any threats to the country.

Objectives

The Acting Assistant Commandant, Senior Division of GAFCSC, Colonel William Kwabiah, also said such joint operations were necessary to expose students of GAFCSC to the various capabilities and fire power assets available to the GAF.

“Once these students graduate, hopefully next year, they would go back to their countries with the resolve that they have the men, capabilities and assets to be able to confront security challenges confronting the sub region at any moment in time.

“And that Ghana, just like any other country, when involved in such crisis can call on other sister African countries for support,” he said.

Writer’s email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh