Government has given the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) a major boost with the supply of urgently needed logistics for their core mandate of securing the territorial integrity of the country.
Among the logistics and facilities that have been provided for the military is a 300-bed residential property for young military personnel, a hundred-bed United Nations (UN) field hospital at the Air Force Base, armored vehicles, vehicles, communication equipment, and a new office complex for the Chief of Defence Staff.
President Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday, 1 February 2023, attended multiple events to hand over the facilities and logistics to the military high command.
300-bed facility
The 300-bed residential facility located at the 37 military hospitals was built for 5 million Ghana cedis. The Jospong Group of Companies financed the entire project as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR).
President Akufo-Addo, in his address at the ceremony to commission the project, said the Armed Forces over the years have been confronted by several infrastructure difficulties, and that informed the decision of his administration when it assumed office in January 2017, “to roll out several measures to help deal with these challenges facing the Armed Forces.
“The NPP government of President Nana Akufo-Addo is fully committed to the well-being and welfare of the men and women of the Ghana Armed Forces we will continue to stay true to the pledges we made in 2016 and 2020 manifestos which brought into and retained my party, the New Patriotic Party and I in office” President Akufo-Addo said.
“Government will continue to construct the musted needed accommodation infrastructure to enable the 37 Military Hospital and the Ghana Armed Forces to perform their role as required by the Ghanaian people,” he added.
The President commended Jospong Group of Companies and their Executive Chairman, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyapong for fully financing the project.
UN field hospital
The UN field hospital built by the United Nations according to the presidential advisor on health, Dr. Nsiah Asare, is strategically located in Ghana in the West Africa region and purposefully built to be used as a training capacity center for all health professionals in the country and the entire region, especially during times of a pandemic.
President Akufo-Addo registered his appreciation and that of the country to the UN for the decision to build and hand over the hospital to Ghana.
“This facility has played such an outstanding part in the nation’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I express on behalf of the government and people of Ghana, our sincere appreciation to the United Nations and WHO for their confidence in our country that enabled them to situate this facility in Ghana,” President Akufo-Addo said.
New vehicles
President Akufo-Addo at the ceremony to present new vehicles and equipment to the Armed Forces noted that he does not doubt that the Armed Forces will use the new logistics to counter the threats that terrorists operating along the country’s northern border pose to the nation.
“Today I am here to commission and present to you, 70 Kamaz Utility Troop Carrying Vehicles; 20 BTR-70 Armoured Personnel Carriers; 20 Husky Armoured Vehicles; and 65 Assorted Toyota Vehicles. and several communication equipment,” President Akufo-Addo said.
“I do not doubt that these vehicles and equipment will go a long way to help the Ghana Armed Forces contain the security threats from violent extremists and terrorists groups operating along our northern borders, other internal security challenges as well as support external peacekeeping operations” President Akufo-Addo added.
CDS complex
The new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) complex according to President Akufo-Addo consists of 50 office spaces on three levels, conference rooms, meeting rooms, coffee rooms, kitchenette, lounges, reception, and waiting areas, outdoor socializing and ceremonial terrace, store rooms among others.
“The building is fitted with state-of-the-art finishes, information technology systems, video conferencing, and CCTV systems among others. This is indeed befitting for the CDS and his staff” President Akufo-Addo said.
Source: asaaseradio
