ARTS to be relocated in the Volta Region

Shai Hills (G/R), Oct. 18 GNA 96 The Government has decided to relocate the Army Recruit Training School (ARTS) at Akoefe in the Volta Region from its current place at the Shai Hills, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Defence announced on Wednesday.

He said the proposed training facility would offer the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) the opportunity to re-start its centralized recruitment training programme to improve discipline and esprit-de-corps in the Service.

Dr Addo-Kufuor was speaking at the inauguration of projects meant to enhance the professional development of the recruits at ARTS, Shai Hills, in the Greater Accra Region.

The projects, which included three classrooms to accommodate 90 soldiers, the refurbishment of the Commanding Officer's (CO) Office and the provision of two Ford Ranger vehicles for the Mechanical Transport Defence Battalion, were valued at 120,000 Euros. Dr Addo-Kufuor said the new training centre was the same piece of land which was at one time proposed for the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) before it was moved to Teshie in Accra.

=93I am glad a worthy substitute has been found and the training school is going to be sited there,=94 he said. Dr Addo-Kufuor commended the German Government for its continued support to the GAF in the area of practical training from German military institutions.

Mr Peter Linder, the German Ambassador in Ghana, said the regular highlights of such events showed an excellent state of affairs between the two countries, particularly in the field of political and military cooperation.

Mr Linder also announced that the construction of a new medical unit for the Jungle Warfare School, refurbishment of a building at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, construction of drivers' parlours and renovation works at the Engineering Training Schools would commence this year.