President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged the first batch of Officer Cadets commissioned from the Military Academy and Training Schools to discharge their duties professionally and diligently.

President Akufo-Addo reminded the new Officer Cadets to “safeguard and protect the territorial integrity of the nation and its citizens, and not to use your position to antagonise the very citizens whose sacrifices have made your training possible. Indeed, you owe it a duty to the nation to work towards ensuring its peace, stability and development.”

He noted that with their commission being the beginning of their careers as professional officers and leaders, they are expected to exhibit exemplary conduct, and also to remain conscious of their responsibilities towards the people of the nation, whose security they would be charged to protect.

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Friday, 20th October, 2017, when he commissioned the first batch of Officer Cadets at a ceremony held at the Military Academy and Training Schools.

Besides being equipped with the fundamentals of functional leadership, The President stated that the Officer Cadets have been imbued with the requisite military skills, and other relevant areas of military studies, upon which they are required to build your future careers.

“As young officers, you must be desirous of acquiring more knowledge, so you are not overtaken by the changing tides, in this fast-paced technological era. The sky must be your limit in your quest for information and knowledge,” he added.

The President also reminded them that they are being commissioned into the Ghana Armed Forces, which has carved a niche for itself, over the years, as a unique, disciplined and professional Armed Force, nationally and internationally, in the discharge of its duties.

“It has performed excellently in various international peacekeeping operations, resulting in Ghana being one of the best troop contributing countries for peacekeeping operations in the world,” he added.

With national armies being transformed, in recent times, due to the nature of emerging conflicts, the President noted that the traditional challenges to security on the continent, such as chieftaincy conflicts, armed robberies, land disputes, religious intolerance, ethnic conflicts and political rivalry, are being compounded by contemporary threats like drug and human trafficking, proliferation of small arms and light weapons, cyber-crime and activities of nomadic herdsmen.

Threats from all these non-state actors, he added, have called for a new approach to training in military skills and strategy, in order to counter the challenges presented by the threats.

It is for this reason that President Akufo-Addo assured “our noble officers, men and women, that my Government, with the support of Parliament, would do everything within its power to equip you adequately in all spheres of activities, to enable the force discharge its duty efficiently. Hopefully, you will see signs of this soon.”

President Akufo-Addo, in saluting all the award winners of this academy intake, also presented the Sword of Honour to Senior Under Officer Arthur Barnes who was adjudged the Overall Best Officer Cadet of the Graduating Regular Career Course.

The President also congratulated the Academy Sergeant Major, Senior Warrant Officer Attom Kumah Richard, and his team of instructors, adding that “Ghana is indebted to you for the loyalty and dedication you have exhibited in bringing up the graduands to the desired standard.”