Minister of Defence visits Ghanaian troops in Lebanon

President John Agyekum Kufuor has commended Ghanaian troops serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for their excellence, which has ensured peace in their operations area.
A statement by the Directorate of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in Accra and signed by Deputy Director, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Awuah said Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence conveyed the commendation on behalf of the President when he visited Ghanaian troops in Lebanon on July 30.
It said the visit was to afford the Minister the opportunity to participate and present medals to the officers and men of the Ghanaian Battalion (GHANBATT) at the Medals Day Parade which fell on Thursday August 2 and to acquaint himself with the operational and living conditions of the troops.
Dr. Addo Kufuor was accompanied by Air Commodore Richard Awuku, Commanding Officer of the Air Force Station, Takoradi, Colonel J.K.T Caesar, Director of Military Records, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Owoo, Staff Officer, General Headquarters and Lieutenant Colonel Obed Akwa, Military Assistant to the Minister.
The Minister and his delegation called on the Acting UNIFIL Force Commander, Brigadier General Ganesan Athmanathan, toured selected forward positions in GHANBATT 54 along the Lebanon-Israel border and addressed an allrank durbar of the battalion.
Dr Addo Kufuor briefed the Ghanaian Battalion on the policies of the Ministry including plans to establish Emergency Response Units in Ghana and the various welfare schemes for personnel of the armed forces.
He also called on the unit to take advantage of their presence in the region to acquire the ingenious farming methods of the locals, which has transformed arid lands into rich agricultural lands, and later commissioned a new gymnasium named after him (Dr Kufuor) and a new camp known as Uaddara Camp.
The Minister also visited the Ghanaian community in Beirut and called on the Lebanese Defence Minister and top-ranking Lebanese military officers.