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Veep bids farewell to Ghana Armed
Forces Council
Accra, Aug. 1,
Ghanadot/GNA- Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, on Friday,
bid farewell as Chairman of the Ghana Armed Forces Council,
ending media speculations that he was lobbying to be the
running mate of the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party.
By virtue of his position, Vice President Mahama has
presided over the Council for close to eighth years and also
as Guest of Honour at the annual graduation ceremony of the
Senior Division of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff
College since 2001.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Defence,
Mr. Albert Kan Dapaah, at the Graduation Ceremony of Course
29 of the college in Accra, he expressed the hope that the
strong bond of relationship that he had developed with the
Army and the College would not end with his departure.
Fifty six officers drawn from Ghana, Burkina Faso, The
Gambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda,
Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo Uganda and Rwanda,
graduated at the ceremony after 11 years of training in
military disciplines and international relations.
Vice President Mahama said: “The graduation… that we are
witnessing is my eighth and as you know my last before I
leave office as the Vice President of the Republic of
Ghana.”
He observed that Africa is bedevilled with many problems
like poverty, disease, illiteracy and famine in the midst of
abundant natural resources, adding that, the blame lies on
the inability of the Continent to address the challenges of
the times.
“The situation has often led to conflict, resulting in the
tragic and tremendous loss of life, freedom and property.”
He commended Britain for the support it had offered to the
College through the British Advisory and Training Team.
Vice President Mahama announced that a conference of
Commandants of African Staff Colleges will be held in Accra
in October, this year on the theme: “Enhancing African Union
Nations Peace Support Operations through Joint/ Integrated
Training in African Staff Colleges.
Major General Richardson Edwin Baiden, Commandant of the
College, said the ceremony was the last time that Alhaji
Mahama was addressing the ceremony as the Vice President of
the Republic of Ghana.
“We are going to miss him,” he said, and wished him farewell
in his future endeavours.
Maj. Gen. Baiden said the keen interest allied students were
showing in the courses being run by the College, was an
indication that the military academic facility was
contributing to the objectives of the African Union.
Professor Clifford Nii Boye Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the
University of Ghana, Legon, lauded the seven years
collaboration between the University and the College, which
he said was facilitating the use of intellectual and
military might in resolving conflicts and promoting
international relations.
GNA
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