AIRBORNE FORCE PLEDGES TO DEFEND CONSTITUTION (Page 14)

Story: Vincent Adedze, Tamale

The Commanding Officer (CO) of the Airborne Force (ABF) in Tamale, Lt. Col. Irvine Aryeetey, has expressed the determination of the unit to remain neutral and to protect the integrity of the country’s constitutional rule, particularly during the 2008 general election.
“The 2008 general election for instance would test our neutrality in Ghana politics; the coming year poses great challenges to us because we are required to provide maximum security during the Ghana 2008 and the elections,” he pointed out.
Lt. Col. Aryeetey stated this during the West African Soldiers Social Activity (WASSA) 2007 of the unit at Barwah Barracks in Tamale.
The WASSA is an annual event aimed at promoting interaction among soldiers and their families and the public.
The occasion was used to reward hard-working soldiers and their wives and retired army officers. Private Belinda Ohene Kwakye was adjudged this year’s overall best soldier for the combat company of the unit. She was enlisted into the Army barely two years ago.
According to the CO, the unit’s performance in peacekeeping operations in Liberia was adjudged the best, adding that the unit had the highest number of promotions this year.
He, therefore, commended officers and men of the unit for their hard work and dedication to duty and urged them to put in their best to help ensure peaceful elections next year.
Lt. Col. Aryeetey observed that the Upper West and East regions, where the unit had oversight responsibility, had been peaceful during the year and pledged to do everything in his power to maintain the status quo.
He, however, expressed concern about the inability of the authorities to provide the necessary facilities and logistics like Internet, telephone and fax machines to facilitate work at the unit.
“Our accommodation facilities are still not the best and our relatively remote location should be taken into consideration and supported to acquire the needed facilities to ensure smooth work here,” the CO further pointed out.
He, however, expressed gratitude to the regional ministers of the three northern regions for their support so far.
Lt. Col. Aryeetey entreated soldiers to invest in their health and the education of their children in order to make life better for them and their children in the future.
The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Iddris, called on the officers and men of the unit to redouble their efforts to help uplift the image of the army.
He later made a personal donation of sporting kits to two schools at the Kamina and the Barwah barracks.