Ghana Army

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Ghana Army


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start_date= 1959-present
country= Ghana
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size= Around 5,000 personnel
command_structure= Ghanaian Ministry of Defence and Central Defence Headquarters
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current_commander= Major General S A Odotei
current_commander_label= Chief of the Army Staff
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identification_symbol_2_label= The Ghana Army is the army of the West African nation of Ghana. In 1959, two years after the Gold Coast obtained independence as Ghana, the Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the Royal West African Frontier Force, and formed the basis for the new Ghanian Army.

Together with the Ghanaian air forceand navy, the Army makes up the Ghana Armed Forces, controlled by The Ministry of Defence and Central Defence Headquarters, both located in Accra. The Ghana army numbers some 5,000 personnel and is divided into two brigade sized "commands":
*Northern Command (Kumasi)
**3 light infantry battalions (including at Kumasi)
**1 airborne battalion
**1 reconnaissance regiment
**1 signal squadron
**1 field workshop
**1 field ambulance
**1 transport companyThe Command currently consists of four major units - 3 Inf Bn at Liberation Barracks, Sunyani; 4 Inf Bn in Complex and Uaddara Barracks in Kumasi; 6 Inf Bn in Kamina Barracks in Tamale and the Airborne Force (ABF) in Barwah Barracks also in Tamale. [ [http://www.gaf.mil.gh/index.php?CatId=77 Ghana Armed Forces ] ] There is also 2 Armoured Recce Squadron stationed in Sunyani. The support arms and services are 2 Sig Sqn, 2 MT Coy, 2 Fd Wksp, 2 Fd Amb and 2 FOC [2 Field Ordnance Company?] . These are all located in Kumasi.

*Southern Command (Accra)
**3 light infantry battalions (at Tema, Takoradi, and Accra)
**1 rapid reaction battalion
**1 armoured reconnaissance regiment
**1 artillery regiment
**1 engineer regiment
**1 field workshop

Infantry

The Ghanaian Army consists of three distinct infantry elements:
*Ghana Regiment - The major element of the army is the six light infantry battalions of the Ghana Regiment. Three battalions are assigned to each brigade.
*Airborne Force - The Airborne Force (ABF) is a battalion sized formation including a parachute trained company assigned to the Northern Command.
*64 Infantry Regiment - 64 Infantry Regiment is the commando trained rapid reaction force assigned to the Southern Command.

Combat Support

The army has a number of units designated as combat support, including its armour, artillery, engineers and signals:
* Reconnaissance Regiment (Sunyani)
* Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment
* 48 Engineer Regiment (Teshie, Accra region)
* 66 Artillery Regiment (Volta Barracks, Ho; formed 2003 from previous Medium Mortar Regiment)
* Signals Regiment (Kumasi)
* Logistics Group

Chiefs of the Army Staff

*Major General Cleland Cofie Bruce
*Brigadier D. H. Tadman – Brigade Commander
*Major General A. G. V. Paley (? – 1960) - First designated army commander
*Major General Henry Templer Alexander(1960 – 1961) - combined CDS with army commander
*Lieutenant General Joseph Arthur Ankrah (1961 – ?) - first Ghanaian army comm?)
*Lieutenant General Emmanuel Alexander Erskine (? – ?)
*Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo (April 1974 – April 1976)
*Major General Robert Kotei (April 1976 – ?)
*Major General Neville Alexander Odartey-Wellington (? – 4 June 1979)
*Brigadier Joseph Nunoo-Mensah
*Lieutenant General Arnold Quainoo
*Major General W.M. Mensah-Wood
*Brigadier Ben K. Akafia
*Lieutenant General J. H. Smith (? – March 2001 [cite news|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=14343 |title= New Military Chiefs Take Over Command |accessdate=2007-06-19 |work=General News of Monday, 26 March 2001 |publisher=Ghana Home Page] )
*Major General Clayton Naa Boanubah Yaache (March 2001 – May 2005)
*Major General Samuel Anum Odotei (20 May 2005 – present)

Rank structure

It is similar to the British army ranks structureThey are arranged in descending order:

Officer ranks
*General
*Lieutenant-General
*Major-General
*Brigadier
*Colonel
*Lieutenant-Colonel
*Major
*Captain
*Lieutenant
*Second Lieutenant

Enlisted ranks
*Warrant Officer Class 1
*Warrant Officer Class 2
*Sergeant Major
*Staff Sergeant
*Sergeant
*Corporal
*Lance-Corporal
*Private

References

*See also: Lt Col Festus B Aboagye, The Ghana Army: A Concise Contemporary Guide to its Centennial Regimental History, 1897 -1999, Sedco Publishing, Accra, 1999