The Ghana Air Officers' Mess Friendship Games aimed at enhancing civilian, military relationship ended on Saturday in Accra.
The three-day competition drew 10 teams from both the military and civil organisations, which participated in disciplines such as soccer, volleyball, tennis and golf among others.
Speaking to the GNA Sports after the closing ceremony, Air Commodore Kwame Mamphey, Air Force Base Commander said although there were such healthy competitions between the two organisations some years back, unfortunately, the idea was abandoned due to financial constraints.
He said it is more important for the military and civilian to fraternise to help build the nation and one of the ways this could be achieved is through sports.
Commodore Mamphey said that there used to misunderstanding between the two segments of society but it is now a thing of the past.
He said the games, which would be held annually, would be opened to all organisations, which wish to participate in them.
Dr Sam Jonah, Chief Executive of Ashanti Goldfields Limited who was the special Guest of Honour commended the military for opening its doors wide to the civilians, which he said would augur well for the development of the nation.
He donated 40 million cedis to the Mess and pledged the company's support for such games.
Air Vice Marshall E A Mantey, Chief of Air Staff urged civilians to forget about the past and bridge the gap between the Armed Forces and the larger society.
He urged the civilian population to organise such competitions and pledged the support and preparedness of the military to respond to any invitation to participate in their games.
In the final soccer match, Stanchart Senoir Staff club beat Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) Senoir Staff Club 2-0 to lift the trophy donated by Accra Breweries Limited, while the volleyball competition was won by Dons of Legon who pipped CEPS in the final.
Mr Kojo Essel of the Ghana Commercial Bank Limited won the men's tennis singles while Mr Amatey of Dons of Legon took the second position
The tug of war competition was won by the Ghana Armed Forces Command Staff College with the Stanchart taking the second position while CEPS placed third.
