"Demonstrate High Ethical Standards" Veep urges Ghana Armed Forces August 15, 2009

Story Michael Donkor

THE Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has called on the personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to demonstrate high ethical standards and act with greater restraint even in the face of provocation.
He said the growing popularity of democracy as a preferred model of governance was a challenge to the Armed Forces of many developing nations, including Ghana, hence the need to act responsibly.
The Vice-President made the call at a graduation ceremony of some senior officers at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFSC) in Accra yesterday.
Fifty nine officers from the Armed Forces of 16 African countries graduated.
The countries are Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Togo.
The others are Botswana, Congo Brazzaville, La Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
The course is aimed at developing the analytical and communication skills of officers.
Mr Mahama said democracy carried with it the responsibility of openness, transparency, accountability, respect for human rights and the rule of law.
In this connection, he said, the conduct of military operations, including training, became increasingly challenging and subject to universal and domestic rules of engagement, human rights and the rule of law.
Mr Mahama, therefore, urged the military to keep abreast of the challenges of the time and seek to justify its existence by proactively evolving strategies to professionally meet these challenges.
He urged the Military High Command to endeavour to pre-empt undesirable situations and come up with appropriate strategies to tackle them.
Mr Mahama assured the GAF of the government’s commitment to mitigate the effects of the withdrawal of the British Military Assistance Training Team (BMATT).
He said the government was working towards more permanent solutions to the challenges arising as a result of the withdrawal.
Mr Mahama said as a short-term solution, being a tertiary institution, the government intended to fill the funding gap by allowing the GETFund to make provision for some logistical requirements of the college.
He said as a start the GETFund was to provide the college with a new bus to cater for the transport requirements of the students who had to shuttle to other campuses for lessons.
The Commandant of the college, Major-General K. Yankson, appealed to the government to adequately equip and improve upon the facilities of the college.
He said admission to the college continued to increase year after year with many countries in Africa seeking for a place for their armed forces.
He appealed to philanthropists and corporate institutions to also come to the aid of the college.
Major W.A. Kwabiah of the GAF was adjudged the overall best student followed by Squadron Leader Ni Ilo of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
For their prizes Major Kwabiah took away a laptop, a book and a trophy while Squadron Leader Ilo had a book, a trophy and GH¢400.00.