Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, Maj Gen Nii-Ayittey Aryeetey, and other high ranking officers in a group photograph during the occasion
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, has said the commencement of the National College of Defence Studies (NCDS) will allow Ghana and Africa as a continent to address its complex security challenges.
This, according to him, is because the institution has the capacity to provide professional military education towards addressing the contemporary security challenges at the strategic level.
Addressing dignitaries at the opening ceremony of its maiden course for 2023/2024 at the Signals Training School, Vice Admiral Amoama indicated that the Ghana Armed Forces established the NCDS in fulfillment of President Akufo-Addo’s directives to prepare selected senior military officers and civilians working with defence and national security establishments which includes Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Ghana and allied African countries for strategic-level leadership command and staff appointments.
He noted that the NCDS is currently being mentored by GIMPA, “once the National Defence University is granted a Presidential Charter, the NCDS will operate as one of the colleges under the National Defence University,” adding, “In partial fulfillment of Section 19 (1&2) of Act 1023, the NCDS has been granted institutional and programme accreditations by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).”
The college’s course 1, commenced on Monday, November 27, 2023, with 19 participants, comprising 17 Senior Officers from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF): Army – 12, Navy – 3, Air Force – 2, and one each from Ghana’s Ministries for Defence, and National Security, on a 41-week course, made up of 4 Terms.
These accreditations aim to produce graduates imbued with the leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills required to address Ghana and Africa’s complex security challenges.
It also seeks to build the capacity of these selected senior officers’ ability to conduct scientific research in Military Science, Defence Studies, Strategic Studies, International Relations, and other related subjects and will initially offer a master’s degree to participants.
Speaking on the theme “Environment, Security, and Development,” Vice Admiral Seth Amoama indicated that the theme of the maiden course embodies the fundamental values and principles to facilitate the country’s security challenges.
The Commandant, NCDS, Maj Gen Irvine Nii-Ayittey Aryeetey, in his welcome remarks, asserted that the NCDS will not merely be a place of learning, but a symbol of GAF’s commitment to safeguarding sovereignty, and ensuring the safety and security of citizens.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke