On April 12th, 2023, the Minister of Defense and Member of Parliament for Bimbila, Hon. Dominic Nitiwul, commissioned six (6) accommodation blocks of 5 units each for young officers of the 155 Armoured Regiment at Damongo, the savannah regional capital.
During the ceremony, the commanding officer for the 155 Armoured Regiment, Lt. Col. Hoffman Philemon, explained that the regiment is an essential part of the Ghana Army’s expansion drive in response to the changing security dynamics, particularly within the Northern sector of the country. The regiment needs to deploy rapidly at short notice, so logistics and administrative support are crucial.
Lt. Col. Philemon acknowledged that establishing a camp of the 155 Armoured Regiment’s stature in the area initially seemed impossible due to the terrain’s nature. However, the Chief of Army Staff’s vision and leadership made it a reality. He expressed gratitude to the Defense Minister for his continuous support towards similar projects for the Ghana Army.
Hon. Nitiwul reiterated the government’s commitment to provide decent accommodation facilities for the Ghana Armed Forces. He acknowledged that the provision of decent accommodation for troops is vital for effective administration and operational efficiency, stating that his ministry took on the regeneration project in all garrisons upon his assumption of office in 2017.
Hon. Nitiwul revealed that the Ghana Armed Forces has seen a remarkable improvement in accommodation across all garrisons, which has significantly eased the pressure on accommodation. He, however, noted that more accommodation projects would have to be embarked on to alleviate the shortages caused by recent recruitment exercises in the Ghana Armed Forces.
Hon. Nitiwul explained that the 155 Armoured Regiment was established as part of the Ghana Armed Forces’ function drive under the able leadership of the current Chief of Army Staff. The regiment’s strength has increased exponentially to about 484 soldiers, which came with its concomitant logistics and requirements, including accommodation for officer soldiers.
The Defense Minister also noted that the military leadership has worked hard to provide befitting accommodation for all ranks of the regiment, which saw the earlier commissioning of some 180-bed accommodation facilities in 2022. He remarked on the relationship and support of all public and private entities in complimenting government interventions to improve the living and working conditions of personnel in the Ghana Armed Forces.
Hon. Nitiwul stated that, apart from maintaining peace and security in the savannah region, the establishment of the 155 regiment is an opportunity to open the region for economic development. He appealed to the savannah regional Minister and other stakeholders in the region to continue to offer their maximum support to the regiment to safeguard the economic security gains that the presence of the regiment affords all residence in the savannah region.
The construction of the facilities was undertaken by JYK construction Ltd and executed within a period of 5 months, from September 2022 to February 2023.
The Defense Minister was accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff and other senior officers of the Ghana Army Forces during the commissioning ceremony.
