The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) are collaborating towards the establishment of the National Defense University in the country.

The Director General of GTEC, Prof Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, who announced this explained that the university when established would not only help the country empower its security service with the requisite skills and know-how, but would also be a good avenue for other countries in the sub-region to train its security services.

Prof Jinapor gave the assurance when the new Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Lt Gen Thomas Oppong Peprah led a high-profile delegation to pay a courtesy call on him at the GTEC headquarters in Accra on Monday.

The visit was part of the CDS's plan to acquaint himself with all institutions linked to his operations as the leader of the Ghana Armed Forces.

Again, the visit was to discuss issues relating to the development of education in the GAF. 

The Director General stated that with the current state of security issues in the sub-region, such an institution could be the centre to coordinate and train all security services in the country, the sub-region and beyond.

He explained that once such a facility is put in place, it could bring together security training institutions across the globe to partner with the country to train as well as share experiences towards a common course of resisting foreign aggression and insurgence which is on the increase in the sub-region.

Prof Jinapor mentioned the National Defense University in Kenya, the National Defense Academy of Washington in the US and the National Defense College in Uganda as well as the Nigeria Defense Academy as some of such institutions.

He, however, cautioned the GAF to ensure that they concentrate on the courses assigned to them and not to offer courses which are not part of what has been approved for them. 

The Chief of Defense Staff, Lt Gen Thomas Oppong Peprah used the occasion to call for the deepening of the existing relationship between the GAF and GTEC towards the development of the country.

He lauded the leadership of GTEC for its role played so far in terms of institutional and accreditation for the Ghana Armed Forces College and the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Training Centre.

Lt Gen Oppong Peprah recounted the effort made by the GTEC towards the commencement of PhD programmes at GAF institutions.