GAF takes steps to review its regulations

The Military High Command of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has initiated steps to review its legal and regulations to conform to best practices around the world and in consonance with the country’s constitution.

The move would rid-off certain obnoxious provisions inherited from the colonial past that had outlived its usefulness and pave the way for modifications that would reflect the changing trend.

To that effect, Eleven-member review board led by Justice Vincent Cyril Richard Arthur Charles Crabbe, a retired Supreme Court Judge was on Thursday inaugurated in Accra to oversee the process.

The board would be chaired by Colonel Benjamin Amoah-Boakye, Lieutenant Colonel D Mensah Gorman, Lieutenant Colonel B Chittor, Lieutenant Commander R. A. Renner, and Lieutenant Colonel B. Kwao Adotey.

Other members are Squadron Leaders; L. M. E. Boakye, Major B. Khamchand, Master Warrant Officer Aiddo Daniel, Ms Dora Baah, and Flight Lieutenant L. F. Wilson.

Mr Derrick Oduro, Deputy Defence of Minister, in a remark explained that the Constitutional Review Commission recommended a review of GFA’s regulations.

He also indicated that the High Command had taken into consideration some recent decisions from the law courts against GAF prompted.

He noted that the review exercise would eliminate the stereotyped provision that was inimical to the gender balance, the right of accused, general administration of troops in the areas of finance, civilian employees, and dress regulations.

Mr Oduro said due to weaknesses and loopholes in the laid down procedures the GAF had lost large parcels of its land to encroachers.

The review board would work with various committees including; that of land administration and command policy guidelines on sexual exploitation that had already been instituted to ensure that the regulations were improved.

Colonel Benjamin Amoah-Boakye, Chair of the Review Board stated that as part of the board’s strategy it would conduct extensive consultation with legal institutions including; the Attorneys Generals Department, Law Reform Commission, the Judicial Service Ghana Bar Association and Veteran Association of Ghana.

To ensure that the issues of females were well addressed, he said a women’s caucus had been put together to submit an input bothering on gender and females members of GAF.

Col. Amoah-Boakye noted that all military units throughout the country had been requested to collate inputs and submit to the review board for consideration.

The review board he said would also take submissions and concerns of individual members by organise durbars and conducting interviews.

Col. Amoah-Boakye disclosed that a temporal secretariat had been established at the military headquarters to make it easy for individuals to interact with the board.