The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says pursuant to section 29 (1) of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020 (Act 1023), the processes leading to the grant of a Presidential Charter for the establishment of the National Defence University, is at an advanced stage and scheduled to begin early next year.

This, the President said, is in furtherance of continued efforts towards enhancing the country’s military resource capabilities and preparedness and comes after the recent establishment of a National College of Defence Studies and War College to prepare selected senior military officers and civilians, working with defence and national security establishments in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Ghana and allied African countries, for strategic-level command and staff appointments.

President Akufo-Addo made this known at the Graduation Parade for Regular Career Course Intake 62 and Short Service Commission/Special Duty Intake 60 on Friday, 17th November, 2023, at the Ghana Military Academy, Teshie, Accra.

The National Defense University, he noted, has become increasingly necessary, because hitherto, “training for strategic-level appointments and staff responsibilities, was provided by partner countries abroad. This limited the number of senior officers, who receive strategic training in the Armed Forces, due to the high cost of undertaking such training abroad.”

He disclosed that, “the programme at the National College of Defence Studies aims to produce graduates imbued with leadership, critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to address Ghana and Africa’s complex security challenges” as well as “also build the capacity of selected senior officers’ ability to conduct scientific research in Military Science, Defence Studies, Strategic Studies, International Relations, and other related subjects. The College will offer Masters and Doctoral programmes to officers and civilians working with the national security, defence establishments, Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Ghana and allied African countries.”

He added that, the University, in this regard, “will be the overarching institution for all other existing institutions of higher education within the Armed Forces, and will establish campuses at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Center (KAIPTC), National College of Defence Studies, Ghana Military Academy (GMA) and Ghana Armed Forces Training and Doctrine Command.

Speaking on his government’s commitment to elevate the Military Academy to world class standards, “a three-storey 246-room Officer Cadets’ Hostel, a 16 two-bedroom apartment Officer accommodation for Platoon Commanders and four two-bedroom apartments half compound accommodation for Senior Non-Commissioned Instructors, have been fully completed.”      

He continued that, “with the completion of the Hostel easing significantly cadet accommodation challenges, and paving the way for increased enrolment, the additional construction of a 720-seating capacity Academy Auditorium on the western end of Academy Square has been completed.

Notwithstanding these completed projects, the Government is not oblivious of other infrastructural needs of the Academy.

Highlighting Ghana’s enviable legacy in International Peacekeeping, he pointed out that, “Ghana’s commitment to global peace and security dates back to 1960, when Ghana, for the first time, participated in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force deployed in the then Republic of Congo, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, Ghana has remained committed and dedicated to the cause of peace, either under the banners of the United Nations, the African Union (AU) or the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).”

Today, he continued, “Ghana is ranked the ninth largest troop contributing country by the United Nations in Peace Support Operations. Globally, Ghana is involved in fifteen peacekeeping missions, with a deployed strength of over 2,500 military personnel, with presence in Lebanon, South Sudan, Abyei in the Sudan, the Gambia, Guinea Bissau, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Cyprus, and the Central African Republic. Others are Libya, Western Sahara/Morocco, Yemen, Somalia, and, until recently, Mali, where our Engineer Company recently started withdrawing following the enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2690”