Maj Gen Irvine Nii Ayitey Aryeetey has taken over from Rear Admiral Moses Beick-Baffour as the Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC). The handing and taking over was marked by a colourful farewell parade and pulling-out ceremony held at the College on Friday, 13 January 2023.
In an address at the ceremony, the Guest of Honour, Maj Gen Nii Carl Coleman (Rtd) who is also a former Commandant of GAFCSC, commended the outgoing Commandant for his excellent achievement over the period. Amongst these, he said, was the improvement of the 5-year strategic plan to focus on strategies to improve the military, academic and infrastructural development of the college. Another achievement was the expansion of the academic wing with the employment of the College’s lecturers, ultimately providing educational opportunities for the public through the weekend Master of Science in Defence and International Politics (MDIP) programme.
He noted that submission of all necessary documents for the final accreditation of a second Master of Science programme in Security Service and a PhD in Defence and International Politics was also certified. He mentioned that the monumental expansion in the college intake saw an increase in the course capacity of the Junior and Senior Divisions by 20 per cent through efficient, innovative and creative measures introduced in the administration of the college during the tenure of Rear Admiral Beick-Baffour. He also asserted that, through the ingenuity of the outgoing Commandant, the Academic wing successfully out-doored a new Academic Gown with the approval of the College Control Board among others.
The outgoing Commandant expressed absolute elation and gratitude towards his retirement, after 40 years of unblemished service to the Ghana Armed Forces and described the moment as that of accomplishment and fulfilment. He stated that the Staff College has become a very strong diplomatic tool and stressed the need for the United Nations and the College’s training partners to adopt its value system as a model to learn from, considering the calibre of officers who graduate from the college.
He congratulated Maj Gen Aryeetey on his appointment as his successor and expressed confidence in his ability to perform absolutely splendid on the job. He entreated him to push for the operationalisation of the current 5-year strategic plan for the College and assured him of the support of both Military and Academic staff.
– Story by Maj Amartefio (DDCA GAFCSC)
