The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) William Agyapong has disclosed the setting up of the Ghana Armed Forces Trust Fund under his leadership.
A fund he is passionately committed to, is intended to offer immediate financial support of up to fifty-five thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵ 55,000.00) to a surviving family in the event of the death of serving personnel.
This initiative is expected to cushion families pending the payment of pensions and gratuities.
Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) William Agyapong disclosed this when he paid a goodwill visit to two ex-servicemen at their residences in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
Lt Gen Agyapong called on the former Forces Sergeant Major (FSM), Ex-Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Adu Yaw Daniel, as well as the former Academy Sergeant Major (ASM) of the Ghana Military Academy (GMA), Warrant Officer Class One (WOI) Ali Nakyea Seidu.
The visit formed part of a strategic initiative to honour the distinguished services of the veterans, check on their welfare, and leverage their institutional knowledge for the benefit ofthe Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). It also aimed to explore ways in which the Service can continue to support them.
During the interactions, Ex-CWO Adu, who served as Forces Sergeant Major from 6 May 2009 to 30 May 2013, shared insights from his 37 years of dedicated service. He also offered several suggestions aimed at strengthening support systems for retired personnel.
Ex-WOI Ali Nakyea praised the current leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for their impactful interventions. He urged the Military High Command to prioritize professional excellence by intensifying training, maintaining merit-based appointments, and upholding core traditions of integrity and teamwork.
Further discussions centered on key welfare issues, such as spousal pensions, the GAF Benevolent Fund, and GAF Trust Fund.
Addressing these substantive issues, Lt Gen Agyapong announced that the Military High Command has engaged the Armed Forces Council to extend spousal pension payments from three to six months.
He noted that the measure is intended to ease the financial burden on spouses and their families during times of bereavement.
