66 Artillery Regiment invests in self-help projects

Ho, Oct. 30, GNA - The 66 Artillery Regiment in Ho has invested close to one billion cedis in a number of self-help projects to improve on conditions at the Regiment.

The projects include an Internet caf=E9, a teak plantation, a kraal, and more than 20 hectares of mango plantation, a nursery built with assistance from the National Investment Bank, refurbishment of toilets at the Regiment, a Regimental Band and a block-making factory. "We try to solve some of our own problems and push what is beyond us to our superiors", Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Kotia, Commanding Officer of the Regiment told Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Defence, during a familiarization tour of the Regiment.

Col Kotia said the Volta Regional Minister Mr Kofi Dzamesi and the Regional Co-ordinating Council had also been very helpful in matters pertaining to the welfare of the soldiers and their families. On security Col. Kotia said threats to secession in the past few months were being closely monitored and that no chances were being taken.

He said there was need for closer collaboration to tie in the loose ends in some aspects of border security.

Col. Kotia said a recent announcement of the selection of the Awomefia of the Anlo state had put the security agencies on the alert. He said there was need to update the unit's contingency plans including the provision of more vehicles. Col. Kotia said over-aged men in the Regiment was one of the problems that needed to be addressed and that the Regiment required very knowledgeable personnel to match its assigned role in the Ghana Armed Forces.

Mr Kan-Dapaah commissioned a 66,000 capacity water reservoir built at a cost of 900 million cedis.

He also inspected work on some living quarters for the soldiers and addressed a durbar of the men of the Regiment. Mr Kan-Dapaah expressed his satisfaction with the initiatives taken by the garrison and the generally clean and orderly environment and the immense support the Regiment was receiving from the Regional Minister and the VRCC.

He praised the wives of the soldiers whose support he said had contributed to the achievements of the Regiment.