The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Major General (Maj Gen) Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu, has shared his vision and strategic direction for the Ghana Army by 2030 with participants of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) Senior Command and Staff Course (SCSC) 48, at Hamidu Hall on Friday 2 October 2026.
The engagement formed part of the professional military education programme of the course and was aimed at sharing the COAS's vision for the Ghana Army and how it would be achieved within the stated period.
Participants were taken through topics such as the strategic context of Ghana, the Ghana Army today, its organisation and capabilities, modernisation and expansion, the Army Strategic Plan 2026 to 2030, the desired end state by 2030, core drivers of transformation, operational priorities, institutional reforms and partnerships, enablers of success and the role of officers.
Speaking on the theme "The Ghana Army by 2030," Maj Gen Gbetanu said his vision is to maintain a motivated Army grounded in core military values and enabled by adaptive technologies and platforms capable of projecting decisive land power as part of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The vision, he explained, sought to consolidate the successes of the past while evolving the Army to respond effectively to existing and emerging threats in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous security environment. He identified terrorism, transnational organised crime, cyber threats and activities of malicious non-state actors, as well as strategic power competition in the Sahel, as developments with implications for Ghana's security.
Maj Gen Gbetanu noted that the Army would strengthen its readiness through modernisation, re-equipment, adaptation and stronger civil-military relations, particularly within border communities. He also stressed the importance of non-kinetic operations, innovation and a better understanding of emerging threats in addressing future security challenges.
By 2030, the COAS envisioned an Army that would be motivated and value-driven, technologically enabled, operationally decisive, trusted by the public and respected internationally. This, he noted, would involve greater use of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, drones, cyber defence and digital command platforms.
On technology, Maj Gen Gbetanu disclosed that the Signal Brigade had partnered with a local firm to produce drones for the Ghana Army, with some already acquired and being used operationally. He further stated that, government had approved the establishment of a Cyber and Electronic Warfare Command in Tamale, with contracts already signed for the project.
The future force, according to the COAS, must also be capable of projecting land power jointly with the Ghana Navy and Ghana Air Force, while maintaining interoperability with ECOWAS and African Union forces.
Turning to the core drivers of transformation, Maj Gen Gbetanu highlighted modernisation and expansion of capabilities, human capital development, values and leadership renewal as key areas requiring sustained attention.
The Army, he noted, would continue to strengthen its mechanised and light infantry units, Special Forces, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, cyber defence and logistics systems to enhance operational effectiveness.
On human capital, the COAS stressed that technology alone could not win wars without highly trained and motivated personnel. Continued investment in training, education, leadership development, conditions of service, accommodation, healthcare and family support, he added, would be essential to building a capable force.
Maj Gen Gbetanu also highlighted the importance of professional military education and gender mainstreaming, with institutions such as GAFCSC, the National College of Defence Studies (NCDS) and the National Defence University (NDU) contributing to the development of future military leaders.
On values and leadership, the COAS called for the renewal and daily practice of the Ghana Army's core values of discipline, loyalty, integrity and professionalism, stressing that ethical leadership must guide mission command at every level.
By Cpl Dakudji O Majorie