Lt. Colonel Ackah made the remarks during Ghana’s sixty-sixth Independence Day celebration by the ECOMIG Ghana Company 6 at Barra Camp on Monday 6 March 2023 to commemorate the end of British colonial rule in 1957 and attainment of independence. The day was marked with a flag raising ceremony, cultural display, exhibition, food bazaar and entertainment.
The ECOMIG GHANCOY 6 has built strong relationship with communities within North Bank Region through Civil Military Cooperation activities, key leadership engagements, support to religious bodies, schools and other organisations through charitable donations, provision of medical services to locals of Barra and its environs, blood donation and other medical consumables to Essau District Hospital, clean-up exercises and joint fitness walk, renovation works at the Barra Mosque, among other initiatives with most people within the region saying they do not want the Contingent to leave.
He stated that the contingent is ever-ready and robust to uphold its mission and mandate.
The national theme for this year’s independence anniversary is “Our unity; our strength; our purpose” and he described the theme as not just apt for Ghanaians but for the entire African sub-region. “This is because our success as a people lies in our unity,” he says.
Ghanaian troops have enjoyed excellent cooperation and working relationship with the people of The Gambia particularly in Barra and North Bank Region since the inception of ECOMIG and commander Ackah said as a contingent, they are fully acknowledged and appreciated and that their success had been possible because of the hospitality of the good people of The Gambia and leadership of ECOMIG.
He therefore expressed appreciation with the Special Representative of the President of ECOWAS Commission and Head of ECOMIG, Force Commander of ECOMIG and the Programmes Manager of the ECOWAS Permanent Mission in The Gambia for the adept leadership, administration and support which has enabled them deliver its mission and mandate successfully over the period.
He also expressed appreciation with the various Gambian Defence and Security Services in North Bank Region, particularly the 2 Infantry Battalion in Farafenni and Njongon, as well as the Barra Police. He went on to express appreciation with everyone for their reception and hospitality.
