By Mercy Nimo
A 200-bed female accommodation facility has been inaugurated for military personnel at the Army Recruit Training School at Shai Hills in the Greater Accra Region, to augment the accommodation needs of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The $ 1.5 million project, which was funded by the Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF) for Women in Peace Operations, marked a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in the Ghana Armed Forces
The facility which comprises 200 bunk beds, 15 washrooms and an ironing room is the second of “Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF) projects in Ghana, having previously funded the construction of a 100-bed female accommodation facility at the Army Special Operations Training School, Daboya, in the Savannah Region in 2024.
The Elsie Initiative Fund was launched by the Canadian government in 2017 to enhance the meaningful participation of women in United Nations peace operations. Speaking during the commissioning of the female facility, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Southern Command, Brigadier General Samuel Yeboah Asare indicated that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) had increased its intake of female trainees in all its training institutions.
He said in 2024, the Army Recruit Training School, trained 830 recruits, of which 224 were females, the highest number of females trained by the school so far. Brig. Gen. Asare noted that the existing facilities were inadequate for the training of the increased number of female recruits, as a result, the GAF collaborated with the EIF for the construction of a female accommodation.
The UN’s Senior Gender Specialist, Dr Afua Ansere speaking on behalf of the Fund Manager of the Elsie Initiative Fund, Deborah Warren Smith, commended the GAF for consistently showing strong leadership and making gender inclusivity a key priority, adding that it had continued to champion initiatives that promoted the deployment of women, ensuring they were prepared to serve in diverse roles, including combat and leadership
The Counsellor at the Canadian High Commission in Ghana in charge of Political and Public Affairs, Elsa Mouelhi-Rondeau, said peacekeeping units that included women could more easily gain the trust of populations affected by conflict. Hence, providing safe, convivial, and inclusive environments for women’s needs, would make the Ghana Armed Forces more attractive to young women, ensuring they retain their talents and skills
She was optimistic that the accommodation would be well maintained to serve generations to be recruited into the Ghana Army.
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