military health service

Brief History of the Ghana Armed Forces

Services Order: Army (senior) > Navy > Air Force.
Army origins: 19th-century military units by European trading companies.
1901: Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) established.
1959: Gold Coast Regiment became Ghana Army (initially 1 Infantry Brigade).
1960: Establishment of second Infantry Brigade; efforts to Africanize officer corps.

Command Structures

Ghana Army: Commanded by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Major General LK Gbetanu.
- Three commands: Northern, Central, Southern.
Ghana Navy: Commanded by Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Real Admiral GL Bessing.
- Comprises Eastern and Western Naval Commands.
Ghana Air Force: Commanded by Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Vice Marshal E Agyen-Frempong.
- Contains three Air Force Bases: AFB Tamale, AFB Takoradi, AFB Accra.

Leadership

Chief of Defense Staff (CDS): Lieutenant General William Agyapong.
Commander in Chief (C-in-C): President John Dramani Mahama.

Constitutional Foundation

Article 210 of 1992 Constitution mandates Armed Forces maintenance (Army, Navy, Air Force).
Ministry of Defence responsible for policy initiation and preparedness.

Armed Forces Council

Advisory body established under Article 211 of 1992 Constitution.
Composed of Vice-President (Chairman), Ministers of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Interior, CDS, Chiefs of Army, Navy, Air Force, Senior Warrant Officer, and two presidential appointees.

Roles of the Ghana Armed Forces

Symbolic Function: Represents legal state control and promotes patriotic values.
Defensive Role: Protects against external and internal threats.
Operational Roles: Includes various operations (OP CALM LIFE, OP COW LEG, OP HALT, etc.) to ensure security and stability.

Socio-Economic Contributions

Supports economic activities by protecting agricultural exports and engaging in community development projects.
Environmental protection projects, such as biodiversity and reducing illegal logging activities.