Chief of the Defence Staff (Ghana)
Encyclopedia
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the professional head of the Ghana Armed Forces. He is thus responsible for the administration and the operational control and command of the Ghana military. The Ghana Army
was formed after World War II
out of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force
. The officer corps then was entirely European. It was modelled on the British army. At independence in 1957, the highest ranking Ghanaian officer was a Major. Major General A. G. V. Paley served as the General Officer Commanding the Ghana Regiment of Infantry which had succeeded the Gold Coast Regiment between 1957 and 1959. This position was effectively equivalent to Army commander as there was no Air Force or Navy.
The position of Chief of Defence Staff was first created in 1959 after the formation of the Ghana Navy and the Ghana Air Force. Major General Henry Templer Alexander
was appointed as the first CDS though he effectively doubled as the Ghana army commander as well. Since 1961, the position of army commander and CDS have been separate. The first native Ghanaian CDS was Major General S. J. A. Otu
. The CDS is a member of the Armed Forces Council. This council advices the President of Ghana
on matters of policy relating to defence and also regulates the administration of the Armed Forces. It also advises the President on the promotion of all officers above the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel or its equivalent. The CDS has also been known as the General Officer Commanding (GOC).
The CDS is appointed by the President, in consultation with the Council of State of Ghana.
The current CDS is Major General P.A. Blay. He was appointed by President Mills on 31 March 2009.
Ghana Army
The Ghana Army is the army of the West African nation of Ghana. In 1959, two years after the Gold Coast obtained independence as Ghana, the Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the Royal West African Frontier Force, and formed the basis for the new Ghanaian Army...
was formed after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
out of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force
Royal West African Frontier Force
The West African Frontier Force was a multi-battalion field force, formed by the British Colonial Office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Nigeria, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Gambia. The decision to raise this force was taken in 1897 because of concern at French colonial...
. The officer corps then was entirely European. It was modelled on the British army. At independence in 1957, the highest ranking Ghanaian officer was a Major. Major General A. G. V. Paley served as the General Officer Commanding the Ghana Regiment of Infantry which had succeeded the Gold Coast Regiment between 1957 and 1959. This position was effectively equivalent to Army commander as there was no Air Force or Navy.
The position of Chief of Defence Staff was first created in 1959 after the formation of the Ghana Navy and the Ghana Air Force. Major General Henry Templer Alexander
Henry Templer Alexander
Major General Henry Templer Alexander was a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.-Education:Major General Alexander attended Sedbergh School, Yorkshire. He then received military training at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.-Career:Major General Alexander was commissioned...
was appointed as the first CDS though he effectively doubled as the Ghana army commander as well. Since 1961, the position of army commander and CDS have been separate. The first native Ghanaian CDS was Major General S. J. A. Otu
Stephen Otu
Major General Stephen J. A. Otu is a former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was the first Ghanaian officer to serve in this capacity.-Career:...
. The CDS is a member of the Armed Forces Council. This council advices the President of Ghana
President of Ghana
The President of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana. Officially styled President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghanaian Armed Forces. The current President of Ghana is Prof. John Atta Mills, who took office in January...
on matters of policy relating to defence and also regulates the administration of the Armed Forces. It also advises the President on the promotion of all officers above the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel or its equivalent. The CDS has also been known as the General Officer Commanding (GOC).
The CDS is appointed by the President, in consultation with the Council of State of Ghana.
The current CDS is Major General P.A. Blay. He was appointed by President Mills on 31 March 2009.
Chiefs of the Defence Staff
The former heads of the Ghana Armed Forces were referred to while in office as either General Officers Commanding or Chiefs of the Defence Staff.- Major General A. G. V. Paley (1954 – 11 Jan 1960)
- Major General Henry Templer AlexanderHenry Templer AlexanderMajor General Henry Templer Alexander was a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.-Education:Major General Alexander attended Sedbergh School, Yorkshire. He then received military training at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.-Career:Major General Alexander was commissioned...
(1960 – September 1961) - Major General Stephen J. A. OtuStephen OtuMajor General Stephen J. A. Otu is a former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was the first Ghanaian officer to serve in this capacity.-Career:...
(September 1961 – 1965) - first Ghanaian to be appointed CDS - Major General N. A. AferiNathan Apea AferiMajor General Nathan Apea Aferi was a soldier and politician in Ghana. He was a former Chief of the Defence Staff of Ghana. He also served briefly as Foreign Minister of Ghana.-Congo:...
(1965 – 1966) - Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi KotokaEmmanuel Kwasi KotokaLieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka was a member of the ruling National Liberation Council which came to power in Ghana in a military coup d'état on February 24, 1966. This overthrew the government of Dr...
(1966 – 1967) Initially Major General - Lieutenant General J. A. AnkrahJoseph Arthur AnkrahLieutenant General Joseph Arthur Ankrah served as the first commander of the Army of Ghana and from 1966 and 1969 as the second head of state.-Early life:...
(1967 – 1968) - Air Marshal Michael Akuoko OtuMichael OtuAir Marshal Michael Akuoko Otu was a senior commander in the Ghana Air Force who served as Chief of Air Staff and then Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.-References:...
(Mar 1968 – Nov 1968) - Lieutenant General Albert Kwasi OcranAlbert Kwesi OcranLieutenant General Albert Kwesi Ocran is a soldier and politician. He was a member of the Presidential Commission of Ghana between 1969 and 1970...
(Nov 1968 – Nov 1969) - Air Marshal Michael Akuoko OtuMichael OtuAir Marshal Michael Akuoko Otu was a senior commander in the Ghana Air Force who served as Chief of Air Staff and then Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.-References:...
(Nov 1969 – June 1971) - Major General Daniel K. AddoDaniel Addo (soldier)Major General Daniel K. Addo is a former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.- Career :Daniel Addo was once Commander of the Second Infantry Brigade Group of the Ghana army. The headquarters was at Kumasi. He had responsibility for all units in the northern half of Ghana. He...
(Jun 1971 – Jan 1972) - Major General Napoleon Yaovi R. Ashley-LarsenNapoleon Ashley-LarsenNapoleon Yaovi R. Ashley-Larsen was a Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was also twice Chief of Air Staff of the Ghana Air Force. He was also a member of the National Redemption Council , formed after the overthrow of the Busia government in 1972.-Career:Ashley-Larsen was...
(Jan 1972 - Dec 1974) - Major General Lawrence A. OkaiLawrence OkaiLieutenant General Lawrence A. Okai is a former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He is also a former member of the Supreme Military Council government led by General Acheampong.- Army career :...
(Dec 1974 – Nov 1976) - Lieutenant General Fred AkuffoFred AkuffoLieutenant General Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo was a soldier and politician. He is a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Head of state and chairman of the ruling Supreme Military Council in Ghana from 1978 to 1979...
(Nov 1976 – July 1978) - Major General Robert KoteiRobert KoteiMajor General Robert Ebenezer Abossey Kotei was a soldier, politician and track and field athlete. He was once the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and also a member of the Supreme Military Council which ruled Ghana between 1975 and 1979. He was executed in 1979, following a...
(4 July 1978 – 23 July 1978) - Lieutenant General Joshua HamiduJoshua HamiduLieutenant General Joshua Mahamadu Hamidu is a former Chief of Defence Staff and member of the Supreme Military Council government. He was appointed National Security Advisor to the Kufuor government in 2001. He has also been the chairman of the Narcotics Control Board of Ghana. He is also on...
(July 1978 – June 1979) - Colonel E. D. F. PrahE. D. F. PrahColonel E. D. F. Prah is a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. This was after the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council overthrew the Supreme Military Council led by Lt. General Fred Akuffo in June 1979...
(Jun 1979 – Jul 1979) - Brigadier Joseph Nunoo-MensahJoseph Nunoo-MensahBrigadier Joseph Nunoo-Mensah is a Ghanaian soldier and politician. He is a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was also a member of the Provisional National Defence Council government which overthrew the government of Dr...
(July 1979 – Nov 1979) - Major General Edwin Kwamina SamEdwin SamMajor General Edwin Kwamina Sam is a member of the Council of State of Ghana. He is also a former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.- Education :...
(Nov 1979 - Dec 1979) - Air Vice-Marshal J. E. Odaate - BarnorJohn Odaate - BarnorAir Vice Marshal John E. Odaate-Barnor is a retired Ghanaian soldier and diplomat. He was a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He served in this capacity from 7 December 1979 till 31 December 1981....
–(Dec 1979 – 31 December 1981) - earlier Air Commodore - Brigadier Joseph Nunoo-MensahJoseph Nunoo-MensahBrigadier Joseph Nunoo-Mensah is a Ghanaian soldier and politician. He is a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was also a member of the Provisional National Defence Council government which overthrew the government of Dr...
(Jan 1982 – Nov 1982) - Flight Lieutenant J. J. RawlingsJerry RawlingsJerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and now the African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001...
(Nov 1982 - Aug 1983) - Lieutenant General Arnold Quainoo (Aug 1983 – Sept 1989)
- Lieutenant General W. M. Mensa-Wood (June 1990 – Mar 1992)
- Air Marshal Achilles Harry Kwami Dumashie (Mar 1992 – Oct 1996)
- Lieutenant General Ben K. Akafia (Oct 1996 – Feb 2001)
- Lieutenant General Seth Kofi ObengSeth ObengLieutenant General Seth Kofi Obeng is a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was once also the Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon...
(Feb 2001 – Feb 2005) - Lieutenant General Joseph Boateng DanquahJoseph Boateng DanquahLieutenant General Joseph Boateng Danquah was the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.-Military training:Joseph Danquah had his basic military training at the Ghana Military Academy at Teshie, Accra...
(20 May 2005 - 28 Jan 2009) - Rear Admiral A.R.S Nunoo (acting from 28 Jan 2009 - 31 Mar 2009)
- Lieutenant General Peter A. Blay (31 Mar 2009 - present)