Accra, Oct. 02, GNA – The Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), has formally admitted 82 students into its Senior Command and Staff Course 42 and Master of Science in Defence and International Politics (MDIP) Programme.
Out of the total number of students pursuing the eleven months Courses, 60 are from Ghana with the remaining coming from nine African countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo, the Ivory Coast, The Gambia, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.
Rear Admiral Moses Beick-Baffour, Commandant, GAFCSC, told the students that their admission emphasised the good relationship that continues to exist between their countries and the Ghana Armed Forces – a tradition, which had been established in the College for many years now.
He said advised the students to abide by the COVID-19 protocols, saying, “The restrictions and protocols in place here in the College are for our mutual benefits.”
Rear Admiral Beick-Baffour, said the Course aimed to develop students’ professional knowledge and understanding as well as broaden their academic outlook in preparation for responsibilities as senior management personnel, staff officers and commanders.
He said to achieve that, they would be expected to display among other things, qualities of adaptability to the College’s environment, high sense of diligence, self-application and high sense of integrity, discipline and the moral courage to defend their views.
Rear Admiral Beick-Baffour said the College encouraged students to have a sense of pride in originality; adding that “This Institution loves nothing more than freedom of thoughts and freedom of expression within our confines”.
He urged them to avoid partisan politics, saying: “You have to be politically savvy and mentally alert. You can comment on government policies but do not sound partisan because this environment is not meant for politics.”
“…Those of you who get yourselves involved in those activities (partisan politics) should standby to pay the price in the future because what goes around comes around. There is no condition in this world that is permanent,” Rear Admiral Beick-Baffour said.
“If you want a military career, remain a professional officer. People should comment that they do not know where you belong because as a professional, you have one duty to defend the constitution of your country. And that is the ultimate sacrifice that we can give to our country. So, be very careful.”
Professor Martin Morgan Tuuli, the Deputy Rector, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), said GIMPA would continue to work together with GAFSC to ensure that the students got the best in training and knowledge acquisition.
The GAFCSC was established in 1963 with the mandate to train officers of the Ghana Armed Forces and allied officers of Africa in command and staff responsibilities.
Over the years, it has received and trained personnel from African nations and has concentrated on core military/defence programmes, leading to the award of Pass Staff College (PSC) certificate.
GNA