Brigadier General CB Alhassan (Rtd), a former Assistant Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), has urged officers to remain professionally alert and intellectually prepared to address evolving security threats.
He said contemporary challenges, including political instability, terrorism, ethnic and religious conflicts, as well as environmental and human-induced disasters, required officers with strong analytical capacity, integrity and adaptability.
Brig. Gen. Alhassan said this when he addressed the graduation ceremony of Junior Staff Course 84 at the GAFCSC in Teshie on Thursday.
He congratulated the 77 graduating officers for successfully completing the intensive five-month course.
Brig. Gen. Alhassan said the programme had broadened their understanding of national and international issues through lectures, seminars and experiential studies delivered by military instructors, academics and experts.
He noted that the knowledge and skills gained would equip them to manage complex operational and administrative challenges and urged them to uphold discipline, integrity, and professionalism.
Brig. Gen. Alhassan commended the participation of allied officers from Botswana, The Gambia, Liberia, Niger and Nigeria, describing it as a demonstration of Ghana’s commitment to regional cooperation and military integration.
Presenting the school’s report, Brig. Gen. K. Ayima, Assistant Commandant of the Junior Division, said Junior Staff Course 84 commenced in August 2025 with 77 officers, comprising 62 from the Ghana Armed Forces and 15 from allied countries.
He said the course focused on developing leadership, analytical and communication skills to prepare officers for junior and middle-level staff appointments.
Outstanding students were recognised at the ceremony, with Captain DB Opoku of the Ghana Army adjudged the Overall Best Student.
Captain CA Ada of the Nigerian Army received the Best Allied Student award, while Squadron Leader GS Alorvor of the Ghana Air Force won the Best Assistant Commandant’s Paper award for his work on integrating proactive mental health care into the Ghana Armed Forces.
Captain CA Ocansey of the Ghana Army received the Everard Award for academic excellence and professionalism.
The Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College was established in 1963 as the National War College, later became the Junior Defence College and assumed its current structure as the Junior Division in 1976.
The College has since expanded its academic scope and trained officers from several African countries.
The Junior Staff Course is a 20-week programme designed to prepare selected officers for staff and leadership roles in joint, combined and multi-agency operations, while offering postgraduate education in defence and security.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
18 Dec. 2025
