Ghanaian Soldiers Receive UN Medals

After Serving Humanity In Liberia

During GHANBATT 14 UN Medal Presentation Ceremony which was held on Tuesday 6 December 2011, the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) H.E Ellen Margrethe Loj congratulated the Ghanaian contingent for an excellent record in the service of peace in Liberia. After a spectacular drill performance by troops in a parade commanded by Major Seidu Alhassan, the SRSG, in an address conveyed the UN Secretary General’s gratitude to Ghana for her outstanding contributions to security and stability in Africa and across the globe. She said “Ghana has a track record of over 50 years of UN Peacekeeping. It is also a valuable partner of peace in the region, evidenced during the recent elections in Liberia by the active involvement of a number of prominent Ghanaians like former President John Kufuor, the president of ECOWAS, Ambassador James Victor Gbeho and his special envoy – your former chief of Defence staff, Lieutenant General Seth Obeng”

Madan Loj added that GHANBATT 14 will be remembered not only for their military duties but also for winning the hearts and minds of the communities they serve. The battalion provides teaching assistance to local schools, conducts medical outreach programs in orphanages and remote areas, and in provides prison security including assisting in recapturing a number of inmates who escaped during a jail-break.

Aside from the outstanding professionalism of the Ghanaian soldiers, she said the battalion is leading the way in implementing a key UN policy which is promoting gender balance in security forces. The female peacekeepers in the battalion make up 8% - 61 in all and 8 of them (20%) are officers. “Instead of being hidden in the office, these female soldiers are in the front line of duty side by side with their male colleagues. This battalion clearly demonstrates that security is for women as well as men”. She remarked.

The SRSG who is also known as Nana Akosua GHANBATT I, ‘Nkosuo Hemaa’ said, as a queen mother, she has a great responsibility to guide, advice and counsel her subjects. She was proud to acknowledge that her subjects (GHANABTT 14 personnel) “have lived up to their Queen Mother’s expectations.” Like the Battalion slogan “Ready to Deliver and Service to Humanity” – she urged all Liberians and the international community to be ready to deliver to help build Liberia for a better future and thus be of service to humanity.

She commended the Contingent Commander Lieutenant Colonel Micheal Ayisi Amoah and the Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Kweku Parbey for their diligence and leadership of such a hardworking contingent.

Other dignitaries present at the ceremony were the Ambassador of Ghana to Liberia HE Mr Kenneth Asare-Bosompem, A high – powered military delegation from Ghana led by Commodore TS Appiah, the Acting Force Commander who is also the deputy Force commander, Brigadier General JA Kwasie and the Director of Mission Support, Mr Hurbert Price.

Congratulations to the commanding officer Lt Col SWK Parbey, his Deputy Major T Ba-Taa-Banah, officers, Men and women of UNMIL GHANBATT 14 for your achievements.

UNMIL GHANBATT 14 - Ready to Deliver

UNMIL GHANBATT 14 - Service to Humanity

UNMIL GHANBATT 14 - We Never give up, Ahua!

Flight Lieutenant FL Aholo

Press Information Officer