The Defence Ministry has ordered the release of $50,000 for the construction of new accommodation facilities for the Army Recruits Training School at Shai Hills in the Greater Accra region.
This follows the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul’s visit to the school on Tuesday where he observed that the school, which trains many of the country’s soldiers had deplorable accommodation facilities.
“Even where the instructors themselves sleep, if they ask you to sleep there for even an hour, I am not sure you would want to sleep there,” the minister noted.
Addressing the media after the tour, Mr. Nitiwul said resourcing the school with better facilities will enhance the training of military men to protect the country.
Despite the Ministery’s restrained resources, the Minister said: “we are going to get the $50,000 before next week to release and give them some something to work with in the meantime.”
The money is expected to be released by the first Friday in June 2017 and beyond this disbursal, Mr. Nitiwul said: “I will talk to a few individuals, I will talk to a few corporate organisation who want to help.”
“If we don’t have Armed Forces that is ready to protect, then we are better off not existing as a nation. Anybody could tear you into pieces. We surely have a problem and that problem will be sorted out. I don’t think that after for years, I want to come and see these kind of things happening,” he added.
The Akufo-Addo Administration has tabled improving the living conditions of soldiers nationwide as one of its major interventions for the Armed forces.
The government has already released GHc 23 million for the completion of some Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) residential facilities for personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The government also assured troops that all barracks across the country would be refurbished and renovated and that more residential accommodation facilities will be provided to alleviate accommodation problems.
Three contracts have also been awarded for the three high-rise buildings, ahead of the broader improvement of the army barracks.
The Defence Ministry notes that some 5,000 soldiers do not have quality accommodation, which is one of the biggest challenges facing the Armed Forces.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
