Retired military officers advocate for extension of training period

Some retired military officers are advocating for the leadership of the military high command and other relevant stakeholders to review the training regime for officers from six months to three years.

According to the ex-military officers belonging to a group known as the “Boys Company” of the Ghana Armed Forces, the six months of military training are of low standard.

The members say extending the training to three years will provide room for adequate, effective, and all-round training. They believe that initiating such a change will raise the standards and help uplift the image of the Ghana Armed Forces.

They raised these concerns in Kumasi during their 70th-anniversary celebration, which occurred on Wednesday and Thursday, 29th and 30th of November 2023.

Speaking to Citi News, Rtd WO1 Ahmed Akwasi Ben-Dallah, the National Vice Chairman of the Boys/Junior Leaders Company, noted that their advocacy aims at raising the falling standards.

“Standards have fallen; somebody who trains for three years and somebody who trains for four years cannot be compared to somebody who trains for six months. Now the military, the standard is a bit low although the army has expanded. We are sending the message for the authorities to see whether there is the possibility of re-establishing the Boys’ Company or the Junior Leaders’ Company,” Rtd WO1 Ahmed Akwasi Ben-Dallah stated.

The Boys/Junior Leaders Company was established in 1953. According to the ex-military officers, the idea was born and established by Captain Joseph E. Michel, who later became a Brigadier. The school (Boys Company) was intended to train sons of soldiers as a potential source for officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and technicians in the Armed Forces.

Teenage boys, ranging between the ages of fourteen and a half to fifteen and a half, were recruited to be trained in military and normal academic subjects. They were trained to join the regular Army after three years of intensive training. All persons who went through this training system have retired.

In a bid to get authorities to revert to the previous system, the ex-military officers have disclosed to Citi News that a document outlining their concerns has been submitted to authorities.

“We have submitted a paper that we think they would look at to consider the re-establishment of the Boys’ Company,” Rtd WO1 Ahmed Akwasi Ben-Dallah added.

Reacting to this, the General Officer Commanding the Central Command, Brigadier General Charles Agyemang Prempeh, however, said the 6-month training has been adopted to suit the current system.

“Every institution does what we call appraisals and training reviews according to what the focus and the strategy are. So initially we had three years; that was what was supposed to be done at that time. Over the period, we have come to realize that we have a lot of people who have attained senior high school education, and therefore, why do we have to spend so much money keeping people in school when we can easily pick from the senior high school graduates and give them six months training, and they will be fine.”

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