The Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong, has paid goodwill visits to two distinguished retired soldiers in Kumasi, reaffirming the Ghana Armed Forces’ renewed commitment to honouring its veterans and strengthening institutional continuity.
The CDS called on former Forces Sergeant Major, Ex-Chief Warrant Officer Adu Yaw Daniel, and former Academy Sergeant Major of the Ghana Military Academy, Warrant Officer Class One Ali Nakyea Seidu, at their residences on Friday, April 24, 2026. The visits form part of a deliberate effort by the Military High Command to recognise the enduring contributions of retired personnel, assess their welfare, and draw on their experience to shape the future of the Service.
During the engagements, Ex-CWO Adu Yaw Daniel, who served as Forces Sergeant Major from May 2009 to May 2013, reflected on his 37 years of dedicated service and offered practical recommendations to strengthen support systems for retired personnel. Ex-WOI Ali Nakyea Seidu commended the current leadership for ongoing reforms and urged the High Command to deepen professionalism through rigorous training, merit-based appointments, and the preservation of discipline, integrity, and teamwork, while also strengthening internal trust mechanisms and improving healthcare delivery at the 37 Military Hospital.
Discussions centred on critical welfare concerns, including pensions and financial security for service personnel and their families. Lieutenant General Agyapong announced that the Military High Command has engaged the Armed Forces Council to extend spousal pension payments from three to six months to ease the burden on bereaved families. He further disclosed a major increase in the Benevolent Fund from GH₵500 to GH₵10,000 and the introduction of the Ghana Armed Forces Trust Fund, which will provide up to GH₵55,000 in immediate support to families of deceased personnel pending the processing of pensions and gratuities.
He added that personnel who suffer injuries will receive 30 percent of their assured sum as relief, while contributors who exit without making claims will also receive 30 percent of their contributions. Addressing concerns about healthcare, the CDS indicated that the completion of the Afari Military Hospital will significantly expand access to quality medical care for both serving personnel and veterans, particularly across the middle and northern sectors.
Lieutenant General Agyapong commended the retirees for their distinguished service and urged them to continue passing on the values and traditions of the Armed Forces to the next generation. He reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Ghana Armed Forces to the welfare and dignity of its veterans.
The CDS presented gift items and an undisclosed sum of money to both retirees, a gesture they described as thoughtful and unprecedented in recent times. They expressed deep appreciation for the visit and called for sustained engagement between serving and retired personnel to strengthen unity, preserve institutional memory, and reinforce mutual respect within the Service.
The CDS was accompanied by the General Officer Commanding Central Command, Brigadier General Albert Sison Ogaja, the Commanding Officer of the 4 Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Jenuni Emmanuel Wumbeidow, and other senior officers.
Source: classfmonline.com
