Dr Benjamin Kunbour, Minister of Defence, on Wednesday inaugurated a 13-member Board of the Veterans Administration, Ghana (VAG), to develop effective policies in promoting the welfare of retired military personnel.
They include Commodore Steve Obimpeh (retired), as the Chairman, Group Captain P.D. Asafo, Acting Director of Veterans Affairs at the Ministry of Defence, Colonel A.Ansu, Deputy Director-General, Personnel Administration of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), and Colonel M.K.G Asante, Director, Legal Services at GAF
Others are Colonel R.W Bosrotsi (retired), Volta Regional Chairman, VAG, Ex-Warrant Officer (WO 1), Robert Kuma, Greater-Accra Regional Chairman, VAG, Ex-CPO I A. Osei-Bonsu, Western Region Chairman, VAG, Ex-WO I Imoru Haruna, Northern Regional Chairman, VAG, Ex-WO II M Agyeman-Dankwah, Ashanti Region Chairman, VAG.
The rest are Colonel G.A Biah (retired), and Lieutenant-Colonel Mary Akuamoah (retired), nominee from the Ministry of Defence, Colonel C.A.O Nutakor, Executive Director, VAG Headquarters and Mr Lawrence Ofori-Addo, Deputy Director of Social Protection at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
The board was constituted in accordance with the VAG Act 844, 2012, and charged with the duty of formulating policies and objectives, supporting and reviewing the performance of the administration, to give true meaning to the Act.
The aim of the Act is to mobilize all retired military personnel into an organized group across the country, to promote their welfare and keep alive camaraderie among them and with their international counterparts.
Dr Kunbour, who swore in the Board members, said every profession has its own risks with varying degrees of danger, but members of the military profession are unique from those of other professions, by the unlimited liability they assume in their oaths of office.
The Minister said it is only members of the Armed Forces who within their conditions of service and for the country's sake, can be ordered to place their lives in peril anywhere at any time, and as such there is the need to show gratitude for their selfless services.
Dr Kunbour urged the board to work as one unit in line with the Act, ensure the availability of financial resources for the administration’s activities, prepare annual budgets for approval, account to relevant authorities, and arrange with authorities the salaries and compensation of the staff of the administration.
He said the doors of the Ministry are opened to the board for any assistance, and was confident that they will bring their varying experiences in public service to bear on their performance to realize the objectives of the administration.
Commodore Obimpeh, Chairman of the Board, thanked President John Mahama for the trust reposed in them, and pledged to work relentlessly to execute their functions in an effective and efficient manner.
He urged his colleagues to approach the responsibilities ahead with commitment and determination, saying that with unity and mutual respect, the desired objectives of the administration would be achieved.
