Vice President Dr. Bawumia presenting an award to one of the officers
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has had cause to caution those who are into the habit of attacking security personnel, especially officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Ghana Police Service (GPS).
He described such acts as unacceptable, making reference to recent robbery attacks on policemen in which some of them lost their lives.
Such persons, he said, will not go unpunished and will be made to face the full rigours of the law, no matter how long it takes for them to be arrested.
“I want to assure our soldiers and policemen that these recalcitrant elements will not go unpunished, but they will suffer the consequences of their actions irrespective of how long they evade arrest,” were his exact words during the joint graduation of the Senior Command and Staff Course 44 and Master of Science in Defence and International Politics of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) in Accra yesterday.
“We will also ensure that we place your safety and welfare at the centre of all government decisions,” he assured.
He also raised concern about the increasing spate of terrorism and acts of insurgency in the West African sub-region, which he said poses a great danger to peace and security.
The Vice President said the threat of terrorism remained an imminent challenge to Ghana, and cited the recent attacks in the sub-region as a case in point.
Dr. Bawumia was of the belief that chieftaincy conflicts and tribal clashes among several others made citizens and countries susceptible to exploitation by terrorist groups and, thus, underscored the need for everyone to remain vigilant to halt the menace.
The Vice President therefore commended the Ministry of National Security’s anti-terrorism campaign dubbed: “See Something, Say Something” aimed at creating public awareness and sensitising citizens on issues of public safety and security consciousness.
He also seized the opportunity to laud the graduands for distinguishing themselves among their peers, and reminded them of the enormous responsibility placed on them to maintain and improve on their professionalism in their respective institutions.
Dr. Bawumia pledged the government’s determination to provide the infrastructure and logistical needs of the college.
He urged the college’s Control Board and the Military High Command to introduce innovative modules to challenge the ingenuity of the youth, particularly the government’s digitalisation agenda.
“It’s refreshing the vision of the college to run another Master’s Programme in Security Studies and a PhD in Defence and International Politics,” the Vice President said.
On his part, Commandant of the GAFCSC, Major General Irvine Nii-Ayitey Aryeetey, lauded the graduands for the hard work and showing resilience during the 11-month rigorous training.
“This is a significant milestone in your professional career and you should be immensely proud of your accomplishments,” he said.
He entreated them to leverage on the skills and knowledge acquired to shape their respective institutions and for the good of the society.
In all, 85 students passed out of which 25 were from 11 allied nations including Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, Tanzania and Cote d’lvoire.
They pursued courses in Defence and International Politics, International Politics and Diplomacy, Concepts of Security Research Methods, International Law, Human Rights and Conflicts in Africa, and Terrorism and Counter Terrorism.
Major Kojo Otchere Prempeh of Ghana Army was adjudged the overall best graduand and took home a giant trophy, a book and 43-inch LED television.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent