116 Graduate in conflict, crisis management course

Some 116 individuals have graduated in a conflict and crisis management course at the Ghana Armed Forces and Staff College (GAFSC) after a two-week training.

The course provided the participants with an understanding of conflict and internal crisis management to enable them to work more effectively, efficiently and cohesively.

The participants comprised 67 officers from the GAFSC and other African countries, while the remaining 47 members were from other external institutions, including the media and other government agencies.

The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major Derrick Oduro (retd), commended the participants for a successful completion of the course and said he was much confident that they had derived the maximum benefit from the programme to directly impact the nation’s ability to efficiently manage conflict and crisis situations.

Key objective

Major Oduro said the key objective of the course was to create and reinforce links among security personnel and agencies as a prerequisite in the management of any crisis situation, saying crisis management was a multi-agency task which required varied skills and multiple capabilities.

“The discussions that sought to seek appropriate responses to the right means of resolving conflicts and the management of crisis situations should remain on the front burner of all stakeholders if we want to sustain the economic potential of this great and well-endowed nation, and the respective countries of our allied participants," the deputy minister added.

He encouraged participants to serve as trainers of trainees to enable more people to benefit from the programme.

“Due to the limited vacancies available for this course, it is incumbent upon those of you who have had this opportunity to go back to your respective organisations and serve as trainers to enable more people to benefit from the programme,” he said.

Major Oduro also advised that the acquired knowledge should be forwarded to the appropriate policy makers and key stakeholders in conflict and crisis management in the country.

Government support

The deputy minister gave an assurance that the government would support and collaborate with the graduands to make the needed support available to their respective agencies.

That, he said, was to ensure a robust early warning system with regard to conflicts to trigger early planning.

"May it not be said that we are unprepared so we are caught unawares.

 It is, therefore, important to have a well-rehearsed contingency plan in which the roles of all stakeholders are clearly spelt out," he added