– The Ghana Air Force graduated twelve new pilots on Friday after they completed their basic flying training.
Among the graduates, six are rotary-wing pilots: Flight Lieutenant Christopher Yaw Asuka, Flight Lieutenant Wisdom Seshie Deku, Flight Lieutenant Nii Akrashie Appoe, Flying Officer Papa Kojo Ayensu Abrokwa, Flying Officer Manaen Twum Ampadu, and Flying Officer Isaac Tuobewere Tanle.
The remaining six are fixed-wing pilots: Flight Lieutenant Abdul-Basit Salifu, Flight Lieutenant Michael Adjei-Banin, Flight Lieutenant Obil Paa Kwesi Grant, Flying Officer Selasi Akotia, Flying Officer David Afo-Kangah, and Flying Officer Julius Etroo.
At a ceremony held at the Air Force Base in Accra, the newly trained pilots were officially winged by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.
This marked their official induction into the Air Branch of the Ghana Air Force.
In a brief address following the parade inspection and presentation of wings, President Akufo-Addo congratulated the new pilots for their perseverance, resilience, discipline, and tenacity throughout their training abroad.
He praised the Ghana Air Force for its vital role in protecting Ghana’s offshore resource assets and installations through air patrols, emphasizing the strong partnership between the military and civilian sectors.
The President also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing the capabilities of the Ghana Armed Forces, including the Air Force, to ensure they perform their duties with precision and efficiency.
“In recent years, we have prioritised investing in the air force with specific attention to enhancing the operational capacity of the Ghana Air Force. The refurbished control fleet, coupled with the planned procurement of advanced fighter aircraft represents an impressive stride towards realising the vision of a smart air force,” he said.
The Ghana Air Force began operations on July 20, 1959, with Israeli instructors and technicians at its Flying Training School.
Initially, it was established to provide transport support to the Army and Navy, and thus, it was solely composed of a transport squadron.
However, by early 1965, the Air Force expanded with the addition of fighter ground attack aircraft, specifically the Aermacchi MB-326 and MB-339, acquired from Italy.
This development was a direct result of a directive from Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who, in his capacity as Prime Minister, tasked a five-member committee on National Security with urgently reviewing the need to expand and restructure the military.
This included the establishment of a national Air Force and Navy.
Source: myghanadaily
