A flag hoisting ceremony was held at the 66 Artillery Regiment in Ho, Volta Region, to signify its new status as an integral part of the 66 Artillery Brigade.

The regiment, which was established on April 16, 1966, as a Medium Mortar Regiment, provided indirect fire support to the Ghana Armed Forces in its operations.

Until the flag-hoisting ceremony, the regiment operated under the Southern Command.

Relevance

The Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Selorm Amengor, said artillery had always been the bedrock of military operations which provided the required fire support and tactical advantage for other units to manoeuvre on the battlefield.

“The work of the gunner is a unique one; we operate heavy equipment, require precision and collective effort in order to succeed, and often work behind the scenes, but we play a very critical role in battle.

“Our mission is to strike from afar so that others may advance without fear,” he added.

Brigadier General Amengor entreated personnel of the regiment to continue to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and teamwork to ensure the brigade becomes an icon of pride in the army and a force to reckon with.

“We will face challenges, but I am confident that with teamwork, determination and shared sense of purpose, there is no obstacle we cannot overcome,” he said.

Brigadier General Amengor paid tribute to past Commanding Officers of the 66 Artillery Regiment, and said their vision, dedication and unwavering support and commitment were instrumental in birthing the brigade.

Contemporary threats

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Southern Command, Brigadier General S.Y. Asare, said the new status of the regiment formed part of processes to ensure the GAF developed in personnel and equipment to improve upon its capacity and effectiveness to deal with contemporary threats.

He cited the increasing threat from violent extremists in the Sahel region, saying there was a danger that elements perpetrating those threats may move southwards to gain greater influence in the entire region.

Brigadier General Asare said that although the country had not been directly affected by the activities of violent extremists, it was imperative the nation prepared to contain and repel such threats to sustain the peace.

He announced that the brigade would soon be provided with an air defence component to form another layer of defence for Critical National Infrastructure.