Africa-Press – Ghana. Retired officers of the Ghana Military Academy (GMA) Intake 7 have appealed to the Ghana Armed Forces and the Government to address the growing health and medical-care challenges confronting their members.
Speaking at the Diamond Jubilee luncheon of Intake 7 at the Air Force Base in Burma Camp, Brigadier-General Joseph Kwarteng (rtd), President of the Intake, said although they were celebrating six decades of camaraderie, many members were struggling with inadequate access to healthcare support in retirement.
“Even in our sunset years, some of us are battling chronic illnesses, expensive medications, and limited access to specialist care,” he said.
Brig-Gen Kwarteng urged the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) High Command and the Ministry of Defence to institute a sustainable medical welfare scheme tailored for retired members.
“This call is not based on sentiments but on lived experiences,” he said.
“Our generation laid much of the institutional foundation of the Ghana Armed Forces. It is only fitting that in our retirement, we are accorded respect through meaningful medical care.”
His appeal has resonated across the defence community, highlighting both the proud history and the outstanding welfare needs of Ghana’s elder servicemen and women.
Brig-Gen Kwarteng provided a historical overview of the Intake’s distinguished contributions.
The group was enrolled in 1963 and commissioned in November 1965 under the leadership of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
It played a pivotal role in several milestones, including the enlistment of the first eight female cadets into the newly established Women’s Auxiliary Corps in 1965, following efforts at the time to integrate women into the regular armed forces.
Vice-Admiral Livinus Bessing, Chief of Naval Staff, who addressed the gathering, paid tribute to Intake 7 and acknowledged their significant contribution to the development of the GAF.
He announced that the Military High Command intended to introduce a GMA ’67 Leadership Award in honour of Intake 7, noting that their experience and wisdom remained essential to the future of the Armed Forces.
The Ghana Military Academy, established on April 1, 1960, evolved from the Regular Officers Special Training School at Teshie, which had been training cadets since the 1950s.
Over the years, the Academy has produced thousands of officers who have served in the Army, Navy and Air Force, including on international peacekeeping missions.
Intake 7 is particularly celebrated for its pioneering inclusion of female cadets and international cadets.
Its members have held senior ranks and occupied leadership positions in both military and civilian life.
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