GAF to institutionalise annual memorial celebrations – Chief of Defence Staff

Posted by Enoch Nyamson

5 hours ago

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is set to institutionalise annual memorial celebrations in alignment with global military best practices.

The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) William Agyapong, revealed this during a courtesy visit to Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Daniel Kwadjo Frimpong (Rtd) last Wednesday in Accra.

The CDS stated that, military memorial celebrations are time-honoured traditions passed down through generations to commemorate defining historical endeavours, honour martyrs, and preserve institutional memories.

Despite many documented heroic activities of GAF in Congo, Liberia, Rwanda and other territories, the most widely celebrated event remains Remembrance Day on November 11 each year, where tributes are paid to the illustrious personnel who partook in the world wars.

He pointed out that although the Ghana Navy marks its memorial week in September each year, Ghana Armed Forces as a whole lack a unified commemorative period spanning all three of its services.

The planned celebrations are therefore expected to connect the past to the present, providing critical opportunities to pass down experiences and mentor younger personnel.

According to the CDS, the proposal will be presented to the Armed Forces Council shortly for approval.

He indicated that many retired personnel will be called upon to bring to bear their extensive knowledge and experiences in shaping the structure of these celebrations.

Brig Gen Frimpong (Rtd) welcomed and commended the initiative. He bemoaned the fact that many astute officers and men have passed away without documenting their rich experiences regarding the evolution of GAF.

He underscored the need for physical memorial celebrations to tell the stories of GAF’s rich history, noting that the few authored books available have limited reach.

Brig Gen Frimpong (Rtd) concluded by affirming his full commitment to the successful realisation of the initiative.

Source: Ghana Armed Forces