General News of Friday, 25 June 2004

Source: GNA

343 soldiers pass-out

Shai Hills (GAR), June 25, GNA - Three hundred and forty three recruits on Friday passed-out at the Army Recruits Training School (ARTS) at Shai Hills in the Greater Accra Region after undergoing a six-month basic military training. Major-General Joseph Boakye Danquah, General Officer Commanding the Southern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces reviewed the parade made up of 54 females and 289 males. Prizes were given to five of the soldiers who distinguished themselves in various fields during the training.

Recruit Warrant Officer Class One Boniamoah Nana Osie was the overall best recruit while Recruit Warrant Officer Class Two Emmanuel Oti Boateng won the best in military drill award. Henrietta Owusu was the best female recruit and Cynthia Tiboubuya won the most determined recruit award. Recruit Isaac Tei Narh took the best in academics award.

Maj. Gen. Danquah called on the young soldiers to be loyal to the Constitution of the country, the Ghana Armed Forces and their superior officers. He said, "the peace and stability we are experiencing as a nation has brought about positive development that had impacted substantially on the lives of all servicemen in the various Garrisons and Barracks. "As you join your respective units you will be witnesses to these remarkable development and certainly many more to come," he said.

The General Officer Commanding also reminded the soldiers of the Oath they had taken to defend the territorial integrity of the country and urged them to discard the notion that the Army was a place to make money, saying, "the military profession is a call to sacrifice". He warned them to stay clear of corrupt and immoral tendencies and to be disciplined in observing the Code of Ethics of the profession. There was a fire and movement demonstration by some of the recruits at the ceremony.