Accra, Oct.28, GNA - Mr Eberhard Schanze, German Ambassador, on Thursday handed over a number of building projects and educational equipment worth 500, 000 Euros to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in Accra. The projects include a one -storey seven classroom blocks, two blocks containing six mechanical workshops, two electronic laboratory workshops, an administrative block and a 64- man dormitory for the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technical Training School. The rest are a refurbished main base workshop, a base workshop battery shop and a car washing bay.

Mr Schanze expressed the hope that the projects would upgrade the engineering units.

He said the German assisted projects were a contribution to Ghana and support the Economic Community of West African States standby forces.

He noted that the newly constructed infrastructure would enable high quality training of military cadets. "By delivering this knowledge and providing training infrastructure, German military support may have long-term impact on the development of GAF," he added.

Mr Schanze observed that logistics is widely considered as key requirement for the success of peace keeping mission. "By the end of next year, the provision of a new car park as well as the construction of an additional building for the Engineer Unit at Teshie camp will be finished," Mr Schanze said. He said Germany would sustain a reliable partnership with GAF, especially regarding peacekeeping missions. Lieutenant General Henry Smith (Rtd) Minister of Defence commended the German government for its contribution to the GAF and the security of the country.

He said the projects would strengthen the ever growing relations between the two countries. General Smith said GAF has a strategic objective to improve the human resource capabilities of its personnel. "We are therefore preparing programmes and activities to empower personnel with the skills they would require in the civil field when they retire," he said. 28 Oct. 10