Lt. Gen. OB Akwa handing over to Rear Admiral Seth Amoama, the new CDS
The outgoing Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lt. Gen. Obed Boamah Akwa, was yesterday officially pulled out of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to mark the end of his service as a military officer.
The colourful ceremony also saw the new CDS, Rear Admiral Seth Amoama, taking over from Lt. Gen. Akwa.
Rear Admiral Amoama was the Chief of Naval Staff before his appointment as the acting CDS a week ago by President Akufo-Addo.
The Minister-designate for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, together with service chiefs and other senior military officers including the Chief of the Army Staff, Major General Thomas Oppong Preprah, Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Frank Handson, Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College and others were at the forecourt of the Directorate of the Public Affairs, where a farewell parade was held, to honour the retired CDS.
In a farewell speech before he was pulled out, Lt. Gen. Akwa said after 46 years, 14 days of military service and having been blessed to attain the pinnacle of the military profession, it was time for him to bid farewell to the GAF, as the longest serving officer in the history of the service.
He thanked President Akufo-Addo for giving him the opportunity to serve as the CDS and for his enormous support to the GAF during his tenure.
He also thanked Mr. Nitiwul for his guidance and support throughout his tenure.
He added that “indeed, so much was achieved during my administration that bore showcasing some of them.”
He mentioned the massive infusion of vehicular transport for both operational and welfare purposes, barracks regeneration projects across all the garrisons, transformation of the Ghana Military Academy into a centre of excellence, forward operation base at strategic locations across the country among others.
He also thanked his predecessors, who laid the foundation upon which they had continued to build the armed forces.
“I thank them for the wise counsel I received from them during my period in command.
“I have leant over the years to always recognize and pay glowing tributes to our gallant soldiers, sailors and airmen, who will always stay the course with you in the most difficult situations once you win their trust.”
Adding, he maintained that indeed leadership was all about winning the trust of your soldiers.
“The threat dynamics of our country are changing on a daily basis, and we need to continually transform the way we do business as a military.”
Lt. Gen. Akwa was enlisted into the Ghana Military Academy in 1975 with regular intake 18 and continued with his basic officer training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK.
He was commissioned into the Ghana Armed Forces as an Infantry Officer in Ghana Army in March 1977.
The general is an infantry officer, airborne qualified and holds ‘Passed Staff College’ qualifications from the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College and the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, India.
He was once the aide-de-camp of former President J.A. Kufuor.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey