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By Stephen Asante

Accra, December 01, GNA – The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have emphasized their commitment to safeguarding the nation’s territorial sovereignty despite the increasing insurgent activities and modern security issues affecting sub-Saharan Africa.

Major General Lawrence Gbetanu, the head of the Army Staff, stated that the armed forces are capable of handling the situation and will not risk anything when facing critical threats.

“The military leadership’s dedication to this mission remains strong,” he stated as he spoke at the 15th iteration of Exercise Tigers’ Path, held at the Akim-Achiase Jungle Warfare School (JWS), located in the Eastern Region.

This year’s Exercise encompassed a range of tactical training activities, such as battle protocols, emergency medical care, tactical evacuation of injured personnel, improvised river crossing exercises, platoon management, and offensive operations in jungle environments, helicopter guidance and coordination drills, shooting skills, physical conditioning, stamina development, confidence enhancement, and patrol methods.

Since it officially opened on November 2, 1976, the JWS, which operates under the management of the Army Training Command, has, over the years, built a global reputation as a premier institution for training in jungle warfare.

The School’s recognition has grown more noticeable lately, especially during a period when the sub-Region is experiencing a rise in insurgencies, unconventional warfare, violent extremism, and terrorism.

Approximately four million individuals are now displaced throughout Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and nearby nations, as reported by the United Nations (UN), owing to uprisings and terrorist attacks.

According to the International Organisation for Migration, the number of migrants coming into Europe from Sahelian nations increased by 62 percent, reaching 17,300 in the first half of 2024 compared to 10,700 during the same period the previous year, an uptick that the UN and IOM attributed to ongoing insurgencies.

Lieutenant General Gbetanu characterized the security challenges facing the sub-region as uncertain, requiring advanced military expertise and strategic ability to address them.

“Thus, Exercise Tigers’ Path offers a valuable chance to enhance combat abilities, face challenges, strengthen combined operations, and assess our reaction system to both traditional and non-traditional threats,” he mentioned.

Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Codjoe, head of the JWS, encouraged the officers and soldiers involved in the 2025 initiative to consistently follow the Amed Forces’ ethical guidelines in their duties to maintain order.

He reminded attendees that lessons drawn from modern trends in insurgency and terrorism highlight the necessity for regular forces to possess the ability to function efficiently when facing critical threats.

Mr. Ernest Brogya Genfi, the Deputy Minister of Defence, and Lieutenant General William Agyapong, the Chief of Defence Staff, attended the event to encourage and uplift the spirits of the armed forces.

The exercise known as Tigers’ Path, which began in 1991, is held every two years and is conducted in a competitive manner among the different branches and units of the GAF, including the Ghana Army, Navy, Air Force, Southern Command, Central Commands, Northern Command, and Support Services.

GNA

01 Dec. 2025

Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong