Seven Hundred Ghanaian Soldiers Honoured(Inside page) July 26, 2008

Story: Michael Donkor, Buchanan, Liberia.
SEVEN Hundred Officers and Men of the Ghana Armed Forces serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) have been presented with medals for their distinguished services.
The Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General at UNMIL, Ms. Ellen Margrethe Loj, presented the medals at a colourful parade held at Buchanan the capital of Grand Bassa County in Liberia last Thursday.
At exactly 10a.m., the soldiers, smartly dressed in their camouflage uniforms, lined up at the parade square to happily receive their medals.
The Ghanbatt eight band drilled the audience to a spectacular performance and played some favourite tunes to the joy of everybody present.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of , Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah, Ghana’s Ambassador to Liberia, Maj-Gen Francis Adu-Amanfoh (Retd), the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in-charge of Rule of Law in Liberia, Prof. Henrieta Mensah-Bonsu and other senior military officers serving with UNMIL.
In an address, Ms Loj said UNMIL’s success chalked at the mission was due to the behavior and conduct of the peacekeepers particularly that of the Ghanaians.
She commended the Ghanaian contingent for the distinguished and professional manner in which they discharged their duties and urged them to continue with that gesture.
Ms. Loj said as guests they were supposed to show their appreciation for the hospitality of the host country by being of the best behavior and projecting the right image.
She said their contribution and sacrifices would be easily tarnished and diminished by any act of indiscipline and bad behavior directed at Liberians who were their hosts.
She mentioned in particular, sexual exploitation and abuse and cautioned the troops never to accept such misbehavior amongst them.
Ms. Loj charged each and everyone of them to strictly observe the Secretary-Generals policy of zero tolerance against sexual exploitation and abuse.
She said although she had not received any negative report about Ghanbatt eight, they should continue to live up to the ethics of their profession throughout their period of duty in Liberia.
Ms. Loj urged the soldiers to continue to work in a concerted manner to implement measures to give people the sense of security and restore their confidence in Liberia’s Rule of Law Institutions.
She urged community leaders and elders to support UNMIL efforts to win back their communities, streets and alleys from criminals.
The Chief of Staff of UNMIL (Contingent Commander of Ghanbatt eight), Brig Gen Emmanuel C Quist, pledged the unflinching support of the Ghanaian troops to the maintenance of peace and security in Liberia.
He said Ghana considered Liberia as a sister country and would do her best to help reconstruct the country.