7.1 GAF Command Structure, Service Branches & International Missions

7.1 GAF Command Structure, Service Branches & International Missions

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) consist of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, together with any other services Parliament provides for (Article 210 of the 1992 Constitution). Article 210 also says the Armed Forces are to be equipped and maintained to defend Ghana and to carry out such other functions for Ghana's development as the President may determine. Recruits are expected to know who commands the forces, how each service is organised, and where Ghanaian troops serve abroad.

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Constitutional Command Structure (Chapter 17)

Chapter 17 of the Constitution (Articles 210–215) sets out the chain of authority:

• Commander-in-Chief. Under Article 57(1), the President is Head of State, Head of Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ghana.
• Appointments (Article 212). The President, acting in consultation with the Council of State, appoints the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and the Service Chiefs. The President grants commissions to officers on the advice of the Armed Forces Council.
• Armed Forces Council (Article 211). The Council consists of:
  • a chairman appointed by the President in consultation with the Council of State;
  • the Ministers responsible for defence, foreign affairs and internal affairs;
  • the CDS, the Service Chiefs and a senior Warrant Officer (or equivalent);
  • two other persons appointed by the President in consultation with the Council of State.
• Functions of the Council (Article 214). It advises the President on defence policy and strategy, including the role of the Armed Forces, budgeting and finance, administration, and the promotion of officers above the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel or its equivalent.
• Chief of the Defence Staff (Article 213). Subject to the Council's control on policy, the CDS is responsible for the administration and the operational control and command of the Armed Forces. The CDS works from General Headquarters (GHQ) at Burma Camp, Accra.
• Minister for Defence. A civilian member of the government who heads the Ministry of Defence and sits on the Armed Forces Council.
• Service Chiefs. The Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff head the three services.

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The Ghana Army

The Army is the land force and the largest service. Its motto is "Professionalism and Loyalty". Its roots lie in the Gold Coast Constabulary and the Gold Coast Regiment, whose 1st Battalion was established on 1 January 1901 as part of the West African Frontier Force. Gold Coast soldiers fought in the Togoland, Cameroons and East African campaigns of the First World War and in Burma in the Second World War. In March 1957 the 1st Battalion Gold Coast Regiment was re-designated the 1st Battalion Ghana Regiment.

Commands and brigades (Ghana Army website)

Each command is led by a General Officer Commanding (GOC). The Army also runs training schools, including the Army Recruit Training School (ARTS) at Shai Hills, the Armour Training School at Liberation Barracks in Sunyani, and the Army Special Operations Training School at Daboya.

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The Ghana Navy

The Navy protects Ghana's 539-kilometre coastline and its 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Gulf of Guinea. Its formations include:

• Western Naval Command, based at Sekondi, which covers the western waters and the offshore oil and gas fields.
• Eastern Naval Command, based at Tema, which covers the eastern waters and the approaches to Tema Port.
• Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), which trains naval personnel.
• Naval Logistics Command (NAVLOC), which provides logistic support.
• The Special Boat Squadron (SBS) for maritime special operations.

Its tasks include anti-piracy and anti-armed-robbery patrols, protection of offshore installations, fisheries protection against illegal fishing, interception of smuggling and illegal fuel bunkering, and maritime search and rescue.

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The Ghana Air Force

The Ghana Air Force (GHAF) was established on 24 July 1959, initially as a flying training school. According to its official website, it has three air bases, at Accra, Takoradi and Tamale, plus a Tactical Command at Bui, with its headquarters at Burma Camp. Its Training Command includes the Air Force Recruit Training School (AFRTS) at Air Force Base Takoradi and a Flying Training School. Air Force tasks include airlift of troops and stores, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, surveillance and support to civil authorities.

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Other Key Institutions

• Ghana Military Academy (GMA), Teshie: trains officer cadets for all three services.
• Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC): prepares middle and senior officers for staff and command appointments.
• Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Teshie: trains military, police and civilian personnel for peace support operations.
• 37 Military Hospital, Accra: the main military hospital and the venue for the recruit medical examination.

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Peacekeeping and Regional Missions

Ghana's peacekeeping record began in 1960, when Ghanaian troops deployed to the Congo with the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC). Since then, Ghanaian battalions, observers and staff officers have served in many missions, including:

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Summary Table