Ghanaian Peacekeepers for Chad(Page 43) March 16, 2009

Story:Michael Donkor
THE Ghana Armed Forces will deploy its first battalion of peacekeepers to Chad next month to maintain peace and security there.
Consequently 70 personnel, made up of three officers and 67 other ranks, were expected in Chad last Saturday to prepare the grounds for the advance party to arrive.
The Commanding officer of the Ghanbatt, Lt. Col. Barima Brako Owusu, announced this last Wednesday when the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. J.H. Smith, toured the Bundase Camp where the battalion is undergoing training exercises for the trip.
He said the deployment would form part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission (MUNICRAT) undertaking peace support operations in Chad.
Lt Col. Owusu said 800 soldiers made up of 43 officers and 757 other ranks would be deployed to Chad.
He said the advance party of 130 all ranks would be deployed on April 15 and would be followed by the rest of the troops.
Lt Col Owusu said among the duties that the soldiers would be tasked to undertake were patrols, escort of very important personalities, force protection and building of civil military relations.
He said prior to their preparations, a six man team visited Chad to recce the area of operation.
Lt Col. Brako said the reports brought by the team indicated that the general situation was calm but that of Eastern Chad tended to be precarious and unpredictable.
He said there were allegations of both Chadian and Sudanese governments sponsoring rebels in neighbouring countries.
Earlier during the tour, Lt Col. Owusu said the firing range and the grenade/small arms training grounds at Bundase were being elevated to the status of a modern hi-tech shooting range for the Ghana Armed Forces.
Lt. Gen. Smith assured the Ghanbatt that they would be provided with the necessary logistics for the team to perform well.
In another development, the German Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Marius Haas, called on the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Smith, in his office at Burma Camp in Accra.
During the visit, the minister recalled the relations between the two countries which he said dated back to the 1960’s.
He said the past few years had however been fruitful, and called for the relations to be deepened.
The ambassador pledged the continuous support of Germany to Ghana.
He said German Development Co-operation was based on the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy, adding that the focal areas of assistance were in good governance, employment-oriented private sector development, food security and agriculture.