Prez Mahama announces new allowances for soldiers, civilian employees of GAF
President John Dramani Mahama has announced upward adjustments in some allowances for soldiers and civilian employees of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
Advertisement
The new allowances, which followed recommendations made to the President by the Military High Command and the Armed Forces Council, saw the Government of Ghana leave allowance for all soldiers on external peacekeeping operations go up to $700.
Ration allowance for uniformed personnel is now GH¢120, while clothing allowance for civilian employees of GAF has also been increased to GH¢40.
At the 2016 graduation ceremony of the Ghana Military Academy at Teshie in Accra yesterday, the President said the adjustments took affect from September 1, 2016.
Tracing the genesis of the new allowances, President Mahama said: “I recall my interaction with you at the Burma Hall on August 11, 2016, during my working visit to the Burma Camp. A number of issues were raised and as a listening father, I have considered them."
He promised that the government would continue to make upward reviews of other allowances at the appropriate time.
President Mahama sprang another surprise when he attended the ceremony as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces in full military camouflage. It was the second time that he had appeared in a military uniform at a military function.
The graduating class of 100 officer cadets from the Regular Career Course 56 and the Short Service Commission/Special Duties Course 54 were commissioned as officers into the Ghana Army, the Ghana Air Force and the Ghana Navy.
The Regular Career Course is divided into two parts. They are the Standard Military Course which is for a period of four months and the Regular Career Course which runs for 11 months, bringing the total to 15 months.
For the short service commission and special duties course, it is run over six months for direct entry professionals and servicemen whose services are required by the GAF as specialists officers.
Logistics
President Mahama said the government would continue to provide logistics and undertake other initiatives to enhance the delivery of the GAF.
"At the State Banquet Hall last Tuesday, I announced that we will in the next four years assist the Ghana Air Force to establish a flight training school which would be a centre of excellence in West Africa. “We’ll increase the numerical strength of the Ghana Armed Forces and continue to provide the needed up-to-date logistics to facilitate and enhance their performance," he said.
Speaking positively of the GAF, he said the nation would continue to hold the forces in high esteem.
Task
The President congratulated the newly commissioned officers for successfully going through the rigorous training regime of the GAF.
"These are officers who have imbibed the tenets of the Ghana Armed Forces and dedicated themselves to the service of the nation to safeguard the lives of our countrymen and women. You are indeed the future of the Ghana Armed Forces," he told the graduating cadets.
But beyond the joy of the graduation ceremony, he drew their attention to the task ahead of them and the need to live up to the GAF Creed.
Terrorism
He mentioned terrorism as one of the greatest threats that soldiers needed to battle. In the era where the threat of terrorism had become a global concern, President Mahama called for information sharing and technical cooperation among West African nations to develop strategies to overcome it.
"As a government, we are making all efforts to integrate our defence structures properly into the sub-regional cooperation framework by which the needed synergy will be created to enhance our collective chances of success in the fight against terrorism,” he said.
Election
As the December election draw closer, President Mahama reminded Ghanaians of their patriotic duty to stay the course of peace.
He appealed to all to cooperate with the security services and the institutions charged with ensuring the success of the elections to ensure that the country comes out of it intact.
He assured Ghanaians and the country’s foreign partners that the government would maintain the highest credibility of the election and do everything possible to safeguard the democratic process.
Prizes were presented to deserving cadet officers who excelled in their training, with the highest award — Sword of Honour- for the Best All Round Cadet in Regular Course 56 going to Senior Under Officer Ebenezer Addo.