The threat of terrorism remains an imminent threat to Ghana and other neighbouring countries, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, has said.
He said the recent attacks in Burkina Faso, Togo, and Ivory Coast highlighted the determination of the terrorists to expand beyond landlocked Sahelian countries, where the insurgency had devastated thousands of lives and property in the last decade.
Vice-President Bawumia said this in a keynote address delivered at the joint graduation ceremony of Senior Command and Staff Course 43 and Master of Science in Defence and International Politics 2022, of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) in Accra.
He said the fight against terrorism was a collective responsibility for all citizens and everyone should support efforts outlined by the Government to combat it.
In a bid to involve every citizen in the fight against terrorism, Dr Bawumia said, the Government recently launched a campaign dubbed: “See Something, Say Something” spearheaded by the Ministry of National Security, to create public awareness and sensitize the citizens on issues of public safety and security.
The campaign would provide further education and highlight the challenges in the sub-region regarding terrorism and other activities that threaten the security of the country, he said.
The Vice President, therefore, encouraged the graduands to be active participants and help educate the people in their communities on the threat of terrorism and its preventive measures.
In all, 85 graduates who pursued an eleven-month intensive academic work in Senior Staff Course 43 and a Master of Science in Defence and International Politics received their certificates and awards.
Fifty-nine were from the Ghana Armed Forces and 26 from Allied countries including Nigeria, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, Liberia, Benin, and Tanzania.
The course aimed at shaping their skills and managerial skills to be professional in their respective areas of endeavours and to protect their respective countries.
Dr Bawumia said the Government would provide the necessary funds and logistics to the GAFCSC to expand its infrastructure in order to train more middle-level manpower for the Military and the country at large.
The Vice-President expressed his appreciation to the Commander-in-Chief, the Minister for Defence, the Military High Command, the Staff College Control Board, the College Management and the entire College Community for their selfless commitment and dedication to maintaining GAFCSC as the preferred destination for military and academic excellence.
Dr Bawumia asked the Management of the College to explore and tap into digital awareness and cyber security courses for the socio-economic development of the country.
“This is a passionate appeal and a challenge to the Ghana Armed Forces to consider. The Military and technology are inseparable and therefore opportunities for deepening knowledge in that domain for the benefit of humanity and should not be overlooked,” Dr Bawumia said.
He lauded the College for rolling out very relevant courses such as Conflict and Crisis Management, Peace Operations, Counter Terrorism/ Counter Improvised Explosive Devices, Governance and Defence Management.
Dr Bawumia congratulated Major Raymond Owusu-Ababio of the Ghana Armed Forces for emerging as the Overall Best Graduand and winning the Honour Graduate Award for his hard work and dedication and all other award winners for distinguishing themselves among their peers.
He entreated them to maintain and improve the standards set and even work beyond the average threshold to make a difference in their respective communities.
He asked the graduads to exhibit leadership and ensure their outputs reflected high standards of their training and be professional and torchbearers in their communities.
Rear Admiral Moses Beick-Baffour, the Commandant of the GAFCSC, in his welcome remarks, commended the graduands for showing, fortitude, resilience and outstanding conducts in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He reminded them of the daunting tasks ahead and encouraged them to exhibit high leadership standards in their respective fields of endeavours.
The Commandant urged them to forge the necessary network and strengthen their relationship towards building their respective countries for sustainable development.
