Ghana’s military top brass have gathered for a four-day strategic retreat aimed at sharpening the Ghana Armed Forces’ edge in an increasingly complex security landscape — and reaffirming the bedrock values that define a professional fighting force.
Dubbed the General Headquarters Retreat, the session opened at Burma Camp before moving to Mampong-Akuapem, where senior officers will work through key issues bearing on the GAF’s operational readiness. The retreat runs from 23 to 26 March 2026.
Chief of the Defence Staff Lieutenant General William Agyapong set the tone in his opening address, framing the gathering as both urgent and necessary. The world Ghana’s military must navigate, he noted, is no longer defined by conventional threats alone — hybrid warfare, violent extremism, cyber attacks, disinformation and transnational crime are reshaping the security environment, demanding a force that is proactive, adaptive and several steps ahead.
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The retreat’s theme — Resetting the Ghana Armed Forces: Reviving Regimentation to Build Resilience, Foster Unity, and Sustain a Professional, Cohesive Force that Safeguards Sovereignty and Supports National Development — speaks directly to Lt Gen Agyapong’s core message: that discipline, respect for the chain of command and uncompromising ethical standards are not optional extras, but the very foundation on which military effectiveness is built.
Beyond internal reform, the CDS signalled that the GAF must also look outward, identifying ways to align the military’s capabilities with broader national priorities — among them the government’s Big Push Agenda and the 24-hour economy initiative. Participants were urged to set aside formality in favour of frank, solutions-focused debate, with the goal of producing concrete strategies to strengthen cohesion and sharpen the force’s overall effectiveness.
The opening ceremony brought together senior civilian and military figures including National Security Coordinator COP Abdul-Osman Razak, Deputy National Security Coordinator Ms Elizabeth Ama Yankah, Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, and Chief of Staff at the General Headquarters Air Vice Marshal Joshua Lartei Mensah-Larkai, among other senior officials.
Credit: Ghana Armed Forces