Mahama charges GAF to exhibit high sense of professionalism

President John Dramani Mahama, on Thursday, advised members of the Ghana Armed Forces to exhibit a high sense of professionalism by serving the citizenry with efficiency, morality and integrity.

Such professionalism, he stated, will also help them to lift high the flag of Ghana by warding off emerging criminal activities initiated by non-state actors in the country and beyond.

President Mahama was addressing the graduation ceremony of 93 officers at the Ghana Military Academy Training School, at Teshie, in Accra.

The Officers, made up of both Regular Career Course and Short Service Commission Training programmes, are from Ghana and some neighbouring West African countries.

President Mahama said sophisticated arms and weapons, unfortunately, were slowly creeping into illegal hands and urged the officers to step up their vigilance and surveillance all over the country to subdue any act of violence and lawlessness that may erupt.

The President mentioned suicide bombing, piracy, drug trafficking, and the invasion of territorial waters as some of the crimes.

He said Ghana had over the years conducted herself professionally in all the peacekeeping countries they had visited and urged them to maintain that record by working hard for the salvation of other nationals.

President Mahama mentioned their performance in Lebanon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kosovo, and Burma, as some of the areas Ghanaian military had conducted themselves professionally and lifted the flag of Ghana.

President Mahama promised that the government will continue to play its role of providing the necessary machinery and logistics to enhance their performance.

He commended the graduands for their endurance and expressed the hope that it would be replicated in their performance on the field.

President Mahama also commended the Military, the Police, Ghana National Fire Service and officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation for their performance during the June 3 Disaster where more than 150 people lost their lives.

He urged them to be combat ready to avoid similar calamities in future.

The President announced that procurement processes were currently underway in all the military facilities throughout the country to rehabilitate the garrisons to make them comfortable to perform their duties professionally.

Rear Admiral E.A Bonsu, the Commandant of the Military Academy Training School, advised the graduands to uphold the constitution of Ghana by defending the country and her territories throughout the country.

He appealed to them to strive to contribute towards the sustenance of the peace, security and stability required for the socio-economic development and prosperity of the country.

Rear Admiral Bonsu urged the officers to make good use of the expertise and experience they garnered at their training to solve all challenges that might confront them in the course of their duties.

The Commandant called on them to remain loyal, hardworking and dedicated to their duties by upholding the code of ethics and traditions of the Ghana Armed Forces.