The Military High Command has presented relief items, additional uniforms and cash support to 297 personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) whose homes were affected by the June 29 floods this year.
The presentation, which took place at the Burma Camp last Thursday, formed part of efforts by the GAF to support affected personnel and their families as they recover from the disaster.
The ceremony brought together senior military officers, personnel and their families to express solidarity with those who suffered losses during the floods.
Sympathy
The Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong, who presented the items, expressed his sympathy to personnel who lost properties during the floods and said the support demonstrated the GAF’s commitment to the welfare of its members.
“We appreciate that you have lost a lot, but we thank God that you are alive because it could have been worse,” he said.
The CDS said the flooding had strengthened the resolve of the GAF to speed up the Burma Camp and Air Force redevelopment projects to provide more accommodation for serving personnel within the barracks.
“What I can promise you is that this incident has rekindled my resolve and that of my service chiefs to accelerate the Burma Camp and Air Force redevelopment projects.
We see these projects coming on board to ensure that, over a period of time, most of us working in Burma Camp will also get to reside in Burma Camp,” he gave an assurance.
He said expanding accommodation within military garrisons would reduce the number of personnel living outside the barracks and lower their exposure to similar disasters.
Lt Gen. Agyapong acknowledged that the relief items would not replace everything the affected personnel had lost but said they reflected the care and solidarity of President John Dramani Mahama, the Ministry of Defence and the Military High Command.
Counselling
He said counselling services had been set up at military hospitals for personnel and families dealing with the psychological effects of the floods.
The CDS further thanked the Ministry of the Interior, the Director General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the service chiefs and other officers who contributed relief items, uniforms and financial support for the affected personnel.
