The current Chief of the Defense Staff of the Ghanaian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, caused a stir when he was elevated to a 4-star Army general.

The elevation is reportedly the first in the Ghana Army Forces' history, and the CDS is the first individual to receive such a promotion.


Education

At the University of Ghana, General Oppong-Peprah graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Administration with a focus on Human Resource Management.

He has also obtained a Post-Graduate Certificate in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in 1998.

In addition, King's College London awarded him a Master of Arts in International Security and Strategy in 2014.

Furthermore, in 2007, he earned an Executive Master of Business Administration degree with a Human Resource Management concentration from the University of Ghana.


Life in the Military

In 1986, Oppong-Peprah joined the Ghanaian military as a member of Regular Career Course 26. He later received a second lieutenant assignment to the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment.

He has held several important positions during his career, such as Chief of the Defense Staff for the Ghana Armed Forces from 1995 to 1997 and Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of the Army Staff. From 1999 to 2000, he was also the 64 Infantry Regiment’s Operations/Training Officer.

He served as General Officer Commanding the Southern Command of the Ghana Army from February 2017 to January 2019 before being appointed Chief of Staff at General Headquarters. After that, in March 2020, he became the Chief of the Army Staff.

He was later named as the Chief of Defence Staff by President Nana Akufo Addo in 2024.

Family

General Thomas Oppong-Peprah is married with five children.