By Christiana Afua Nyarko
Accra, Sept 16, GNA – The General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Southern Command, Brigadier General Michael Ayisi Amoah, says the regular field training exercises by the army are to prepare troops to deal with any eventuality of terrorism.
Brig Gen Ayisi, said their capability to deal with possible homegrown or external threats against the country was hinged on the training to help put personnel on high alert and boost their readiness.
“This is to test our level of readiness, skills and preparations for any eventuality. We have been faced with terrorist threats, secessionism and other threats that have the potency of destabilising our country. As mandated by our constitution, we are the primary institution to ensure both internal and external stability, peace and tranquillity and so it is good that we train hard”, he said.
The GOC explained this in an interview during the second day and climax of 2023 Exercise Kullum Shiri at the 64 infantry Battalion Training Camp at Asutuare in the Greater Accra Region.
He however hinted, the country must properly analyse potential threats to the country, develop various scenarios and strategies from them to map out more contingency plans to mitigate them.
“It is important that we take training as seriously as we can to be ready. We always say ‘ever ready’ for any task that comes up. We are all aware of current threats and challenges facing our nation and the subregion, and so the only rational thing for us to do is to prepare adequately to mitigate the effects of such threats on our stability and development,” he said.
The choice of geographical terrain for training exercises, he added, was not a creation intended to punish or make troops uncomfortable, but to position them to be ready to deal with real threats which could arise at any time.
The second day of Exercise Kullum Shiri witnessed some exercises, which included long marches covering several kilometres by officers and men of the Army in their full battle regalia and ammunition.
This was intertwined with other operations such as navigation and obstacle crossings climaxed with a shooting competition amongst the various units who partook in EX Kullum Shiri
Hundreds of uniformed personnel drawn from three battalions namely 1 Battalion of Infantry (1BN) based in Michelle Camp in Tema, 2 Battalion of Infantry (2BN) based in Takoradi and 5 Battalion of Infantry (5BN) in Burma Camp in Accra: two regiments namely the 48 Engineers based in Teshie, and 66 Artillery based in Ho and the Headquarters of Southern Command Camp also in Teshie.
Several prizes including undisclosed cash amounts were awarded to performing units and individual personnel who excelled in the two-day training.
The best in Navigation and the first runner up position went to 2BN whilst 5BN swept the second runner up position. 48 Engineers Regiment though won the third runner up position, swept the award for best obstacle crossing and best in orders team category.
Maj Gen Joseph Prince Osei-Owusu, the Guest of Honour and also the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Logistics at the General Headquarters, in his closing remarks, said the exercise was in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s vision to produce a highly motivated, well trained and equipped Army with quality officers and men to achieve the tasks of the army.
The training, he explained was also necessary to produce an ever-ready standing army to deal with emerging threats such as violent extremism which was fast spreading in the West African sub-region, posing a threat to the territorial integrity of Ghana.
GNA