General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Southern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Brigadier General Michael Ayisi Amoah, has stated that the routine field training exercises conducted by the army are aimed at preparing troops to effectively address potential terrorism threats.

Brig Gen Ayisi emphasized that the army's ability to respond to both domestic and external threats to the country relies on these training exercises. This training is essential to keep personnel vigilant and enhance their overall readiness to tackle such threats.

“This is to test our level of readiness, skills and preparations for any eventuality. We have been faced with terrorist threats, secessionism and other threats that have the potency of destabilising our country. As mandated by our constitution, we are the primary institution to ensure both internal and external stability, peace and tranquillity and so it is good that we train hard”, he said.

The GOC elaborated on this during an interview conducted on the second day, which also marked the culmination of the 2023 Exercise Kullum Shiri. This exercise took place at the 64 Infantry Battalion Training Camp in Asutuare, located in the Greater Accra Region.

He further suggested that the nation should engage in a thorough analysis of potential threats, create diverse scenarios, and devise corresponding strategies. These measures would aid in the development of additional contingency plans to effectively mitigate these threats.

“It is important that we take training as seriously as we can to be ready. We always say ‘ever ready’ for any task that comes up. We are all aware of current threats and challenges facing our nation and the subregion, and so the only rational thing for us to do is to prepare adequately to mitigate the effects of such threats on our stability and development,” he said.

He emphasized that the selection of specific geographical terrain for training exercises was not designed to penalize or cause discomfort to the troops. Instead, it was intended to prepare them for real-world threats that could emerge at any moment.

On the second day of Exercise Kullum Shiri, a series of training activities took place. These included extensive long marches, covering several kilometers, undertaken by Army officers and personnel wearing full battle gear and carrying ammunition.

These exercises were complemented by other operations, such as navigation challenges and obstacle crossings, culminating in a shooting competition involving various participating units in Exercise Kullum Shiri.

The event involved hundreds of uniformed personnel from three battalions: the 1 Battalion of Infantry (1BN) stationed in Michelle Camp, Tema; the 2 Battalion of Infantry (2BN) stationed in Takoradi; and the 5 Battalion of Infantry (5BN) located in Burma Camp, Accra. Additionally, two regiments, the 48 Engineers based in Teshie and the 66 Artillery stationed in Ho, along with the Headquarters of Southern Command Camp in Teshie, were also part of the exercise.

Numerous prizes, including undisclosed cash awards, were presented to both units and individual personnel who demonstrated exceptional performance during the two-day training.

The top position in Navigation and the first runner-up were secured by 2BN, while 5BN clinched the second runner-up position. The 48 Engineers Regiment, in addition to claiming the third runner-up position, also earned recognition for excelling in the best obstacle crossing category and the best in orders team category.

Maj Gen Joseph Prince Osei-Owusu, who served as the Guest of Honour and holds the position of Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Logistics at the General Headquarters, concluded the event by affirming that the exercise aligns with the Chief of Army Staff's vision. This vision aims to create a highly motivated, well-trained, and well-equipped Army comprising quality officers and personnel capable of fulfilling the army's responsibilities.

He emphasized that this training was imperative to establish a consistently prepared standing army capable of addressing emerging threats, including the rapid spread of violent extremism in the West African sub-region. Such threats pose a risk to Ghana's territorial integrity and security.