GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION OF GHANA MILITARY ACADEMY INTAKE VIII LAUNCHED

BY : Komla Adom

The 50th anniversary celebration of the Ghana Military Academy intake VIII (1964-2014) has been launched at a short ceremony held at the General Headquarters conference hall,Burma Camp,in Accra on October 28,2104.The occasion was also used to pay glowing tribute to the departed service men of the Intake,after which a minute' silence was observed in their memory.

Following their long dedicated and meticulous service to the country,through their work as military personnel,the Military Academy Intake VIII group have long since retired from active service.
On November 14,1964,a main group of cadets entered the Academy after having satisfied all rigorous programmed enlisted processes of the Force.

At the time,there were different categories of cadets,one group was made up of Doctors,Engineers,Physical Training Specialists,and cell soldiers,who entered for Short Service Commission (SSC),because they were already qualified in certain professions required by the Ghana Armed forces.

The second group was made up of young Secondary School graduates at the GCE O and A Levels,who were trained for a period of two years after which they were granted commission ; the Regular Career Course (RCC).

Sadly,a number of these gallant service men,have since lost their lives,while others continue to live the rest of their lives,doing some active off-service duties.
While they continue to celebrate each passing year to commemorate their entry into the Ghana Military Academy,this year's celebration is particularly important because it marks exactly 50 years of their entry into the force.

As part of activities to commemorate this landmark celebration,the president of the Intake VIII group outlined a series of activities to be carried out over the period.
President of the group,Rear Admiral (rt) Aduko,who left the service in 2006,speaking at the launch of the celebration said,there would be a group exhibition at the Ghana Military Academy,and an interaction with the current group of cadets.

He added that,they would make a presentation to the leprosarium at Ho,to help make the lives of the less fortunate friends a tad better under the circumstances.

"We would also get some of our children to feature on television,to have an interaction,to share with the world what benefits or otherwise there have been for them by virtue of being children in Barracks ",he mentioned.

"The celebration would then be crowned with a church service,following which there would be final social interaction with surviving instructors,family members and some guests at the service".
Meanwhile,the president of the intake VIII group of cadets at the Ghana Military Academy was proud to mention that,many of their members were momentarily working in high places,even after retiring from the force.

Present at the short ceremony were members from the Intake which included Vice President of the group, Major General (rt) Kwami Henry Anyodoho,Colonel (rt) Francis Akrong,Major (rt) Alex Temeng,and Lieutenant Colonel Awudu Rahman.

Others were Naval Captain (rt) Ankobeah,Major (rt) Billy Newman,and Lieutenant Colonel George Kusi Appiah.
The Ghana Military Academy was established in 1960,to train young men and women to hold commissioned ranks in the Services ;Army,Navy and Airforce.
The theme for the golden jubilee celebration is, " 50 years of excellence;still exemplifying patriotism,honor and sacrifice."

69th UNITED NATIONS DAY CELEBRATED IN ACCRA-GHANA

BY: Komla Adom

The United Nations has called on governments around the world to reaffirm their commitment to empowering the marginalized and desperately vulnerable in their respective countries.This was contained in a message from the United Nations Secretary General,Ban Ki Moon,read by the UNAids country director H.E Girmay Haile,at the 69th United Nations Day flag-raising ceremony at the forecourt of the state house on Friday,October 24,2014.

As part of activities to celebrate the intergovernmental body's 69th anniversary the world over,a ceremony was held in Accra to commemorate the day,while celebrating the giant strides the body has made since signing the charter in 1945.

The United Nations pledge to people around the world to end assaults on human dignity has since been bedeviled with the emergence of multiple crises,recent among which is the Ebola scourge,threatening the lives of thousands in and outside the sub-region.

Speaking at the ceremony,the UNAids country director,Girmay Haile who represented the United Nations Resident Coordinator ad interim,Susan Namondo Ngongi,said,the diversity of the global crises facing the world today are particularly challenging for low and middle-income countries including Ghana,hence the need for global citizenship in combating them.

"The threat of Ebola,combined with the recurrent challenges such as cholera,and the long-term challenge of poverty which is compounded by ever more pronounced social and economic inequality around the globe stretches the capacity of many governments in providing adequate and effective response.Never before has it been more important to protect the most vulnerable populations to
ensure the upkeep of progress we made in international development over the years", he said.

The focus of the United Nations in Ghana,he added,lies in the empowerment of girls and women,who have long been the most vulnerable groups of populations in Ghana and globally,by addressing priority issues of maternal mortality and the gap between boys and girls.
He commended the military,police and other forces who have offered and continue to offer their lives on peace-keeping missions in crises-ravaged countries to save lives and property.

On his part,the Youth and Sports minister,Mahama Ayariga reiterated government's commitment to the continuous fight against the global crises,adding that government's initial acceptance and subsequent action to host the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) in its national capital is one such intervention and contribution towards the renewed fight against the deadly disease.


He added,that the collaboration between government and agencies of the United Nations would only intensify as the fight against HIV and AIDS,poverty,human right abuse,illiteracy,terrorism,climate change and Ebola continues.

Investment in the education of the youth,whom he describes as the present and future of the country,should be seen as an active catalyst in this fight,since they are a store of abundant human resource with limitless potentials to make significant contributions in this regard.

"On the occasion of this UN day,we salute our military and police personnel who sacrifice their lives to bring peace,security and development to brothers and sisters living in war situations around the world.Some of our peace-keepers have paid the ultimate price,that others may live and enjoy their lives.To their families and loved ones,our deepest condolences,their sacrifices are not in vain,they shall forever be in our minds as the finest and the best ", he said.

The flag-raising parade was made of two contingents drawn from the Ghana Air force and in attendance were chiefs and traditional heads,security chiefs,members of the diplomatic corps,government functionaries and some senior high school students.

United Nations day is a day set aside by the UN General Assembly and commemorated on October 24 each year around the world,to highlight,celebrate and reflect on the work of the intergovernmental body.
This year's celebration was under the global theme:"Global Citizenship and Youth". With the understanding of the global theme,the celebration in Ghana was themed : " Youth Engagement For Effective Nation-Building".
Pictures courtesy GNA