Demonstration Block, Two Accommodation Facilities inaugurated at ARTS

A new Demonstration block and two Other Ranks (ORs’) accommodation facilities have been inaugurated Friday 13 March, 2015 at the Army Recruit Training School in the Greater Accra Region.

The projects which were constructed with support from the Army Command, Bank of Africa, Enterprise Life and Star Life assurance companies on the school premises, will aid effective training of recruits and produce professional soldiers for the Ghana Armed Forces.

The projects include a new demonstration block, a six bedroom self-contained accommodation facility and another four bedroom self-contained flat, all started and completed within two years.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Commanding Officer at the Army Recruit Training School, Lieutenant Colonel Augustine Asiedu said the need to develop the infrastructural base was key to achieving the collective mandate of the school.

In this regard, previously existing buildings which had developed deep cracks were pulled down and the construction of new ones commenced, one of which is the demonstration block, Lt Col Asiedu stated.

He said with financial support from the Bank of Africa and Enterprise Life, a six-bedroom accommodation facility for the Other Ranks started by the school in August 2013, was continued and subsequently completed.

Construction of the demonstration block commenced in April 2014 following the release of funds by the Army Command on an appeal to the Chief of the Army Staff by the school, while the other four-bedroom self-contained flat was built by Star Life Assurance Company Limited.

The bedroom flat estimated at a cost of some forty two thousand cedis according to Star Life Assurance Company Limited, will serve as a place of abode for the Other Ranks and will create the wherewithal for the soldiers to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

Executive of the company in charge of Group Business and Market Intelligence, Iddrisu Nashiru was optimistic the partnership between the school and his outfit will deepen in the coming years.

He said protecting the territorial integrity of the nation, which is key to development, was one of the biggest motivations which drove the company to support the upgrade of infrastructure at the Army Recruit Training School.

He further noted that once military personnel are given a sound place to lay their heads, they would be able to protect the nation’s domains better.

Iddrisu Nashiru called on other corporate institutions and individuals to support noble courses such as developing infrastructure for the security services in order to build the nation.

The Chief of the Army Staff, Major General Richard Opoku Adusei who was the guest of honour at the event, said the school is a factory for producing soldiers for the army, therefore it is important to inculcate in these recruits, the values of discipline, integrity and professionalism.

To achieve this, Major General Adusei intimated the need for basic equipment and facilities such as accommodation and ablution units to be put in place at the school.

Some of such initiatives are the demonstration and accommodation blocks constructed for use by the Army Recruit Training School.

He commended the three companies whose financial support saw the construction and completion of the projects for their immense contribution towards making the school a better place and called for even more support in the coming years.

“We are happy that you have come to support us to lay a very good foundation for service training. We are grateful to you for your mighty support, like Oliver Twist, the school may still look up to you for more. We would play our part in channeling any resources we get from government to supporting this school,” the Chief of the Army Staff said.

The Commanding Officer of the school pledged his commitment to ensuring the school sees a massive facelift in the road networks in the coming years - phase one of construction will be from the main school gate to the headquarters, while the second phase will see the road network which stretches from the headquarters to the officers’ mess and the third – from the headquarters to the Other Ranks’ accommodation area to the Regimental Aid Point, all upgraded.

Lt Col Asiedu indicated that his outfit had made contact with some corporate institutions, the department of feeder roads, the Ghana Ports and Habours Authority as well as the quarries in the area to lend their support towards the achievement of the project.

The project when completed will see movement within the school seamless and will give the school a whole new outlook.
The Chief of the Army Staff unveiled the plaques for the buildings and later presented an undisclosed amount of money to the school.

Souvenirs were also exchanged among the school head, partner corporate institutions, and the Chief of the Army Staff.

The event was attended by Commander, Army Training Command – Brigadier General Augustine Komla Boimah, Director, Army Finance – Colonel Mohammed Tahiru, Director, Army Training – Colonel Thomas Oppong-Peprah, Director, Army Logistics - Emmanuel Tweneboah Darquah, other senior officers, men and women of the unit and some civilian employees.

By Kingsley Komla Adom