GAF, EIF commission 200-bed dormitory at Army Recruit School  

By Lawrencia Akoto Frempong  

Shai Hills, Jan. 26, GNA – The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF) for Uniformed Women in Peace Operation have commissioned a 200-bed dormitory block at the Army Recruit School in Shai Hills. 

The dormitory block, which has 15 washrooms, 200 bunk beds, and an ironing room, is to support female accommodation and empower more women to join the army. 

Brigadier General Samuel Yeboah Asare, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Southern Command, noted that, traditionally, the structures placed for recruits and other training in the Ghana Armed Forces have been geared towards the training of male recruits and officers, therefore the need to commission the building to facilitate the training of female recruits. 

He stated that the GAF in recent times, following the United Nations (UN) agenda on women, peace, and the global trends of gender equality, has increased their intake of female trainees in all its training institutions. 

He mentioned that the Army Recruits Training Schools trained 830 recruits last year, out of which there were 224 females. 

“Their existing facilities were inadequate for the training as the number of females increased, and it was at this point that the collaboration between GAF and EIF kicked in to provide the much-needed support for the construction at the school,” he added. 

He therefore urged the school to be good custodians of the building, especially in the face of the limited resources available for such projects. 

Dr. Afua Ansere, the Senior Gender Specialist for the UN Women, said the facility, which was funded through a 1.5-million-dollar project, demonstrates Ghana’s strong commitment to addressing structural barriers that limit women’s participation in peacekeeping. 

She reiterated that the GAF has consistently shown strong leadership in making gender inclusivity a key priority and continues to champion initiatives that promote the recruitment, retention, and deployment of women, ensuring they are prepared to serve in diverse roles.  

She added that the project reflects the recommendations of the Measuring Opportunities for Women in Peace Operations (MOWPO) report that identifies the barriers to women’s meaningful participation, including the need for adequate infrastructures to support recruitment, training, and deployment. 

Dr. Ansere again commended the GAF for their dedication to creating lasting change and fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for women. 

Ms. Elsa Mouelhi-Rondeau, the Counselor for Political and Public Affairs and Representative of the Canadian High Commissioner, noted that the dormitory was one of two that the Elsie Initiative Fund for Women in Peace Operations has funded in Ghana, adding that Canada has proudly contributed $17.5 million to the fund. 

She noted that the Elsie Initiative itself was launched by Canada in 2017 to increase the meaningful participation of military and policewomen in UN peace operations, in support of the United Nations Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy targets. 

She added that by deploying more women to UN peace operations, troop and police-contributing countries were even better placed to deliver on their mandates and protect civilians. 

She said, “Peacekeeping units that include women can more easily gain the trust of populations affected by conflict and therefore obtain important insights and intelligence allowing them to protect all segments of the population, as well as themselves.” 

She added that “by providing safe, convivial, and inclusive environments that are well adapted to women’s needs, the Ghana Armed Forces becomes more attractive to young women, ensures that they will retain the talent and skills of those recruited, and allows more women to step into the footsteps of so many Ghanaian peacekeepers before them.” 

She expressed confidence that the accommodation block would be maintained to the highest standards for it to serve GAF’s young recruits for many years to come. 

Brigadier General Augustine Asiedu, the Director General for the International Peace Support Operations, commended the EIF for funding the project for female recruits to have a better place of abode. 

Group Captain Theodora Ajornyo, the Gender Policy Advisor to the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, noted that the facility was a major step in the gender mainstream agenda of the GAF to solidify the tenet of the UN resolution 1325, which discusses women’s participation and prevention of conflicts, support, and protection in every way. 

She stated that the aim was to get more women into leadership so that decision-making could be positively affected by women, adding that the structure would enhance the recruitment of more women for the pull of women to be deployed in combat roles. 

GNA