THE Minister for Defence, Mr Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has charged the 19-member Governing Council of the National Defence University (NDU), Ghana, to uphold academic excellence, integrity and strategic leadership to strengthen the country’s defence and security capabilities.
He said the strength of the Armed Forces depended not only on equipment and operational readiness, but also on the knowledge, character, judgement and quality of personnel entrusted with responsibility.
Mr Adjei gave the charge at the inauguration of the council in Accra yesterday, describing the university as a significant investment in developing military leaders capable of addressing emerging national and international security challenges.
He said evolving threats, technological advancements and the growing links between military, political, economic and cyber challenges required institutions that could prepare personnel to anticipate change and make sound decisions under pressure.
The Minister urged the university to go beyond awarding certificates and degrees to produce professionals who could think critically, act with integrity and appreciate the responsibilities that came with leadership.
He charged the council to provide strategic direction, protect academic standards, promote meaningful research and ensure that the university fulfilled its mandate in the long-term interest of Ghana.
Mr Adjei said the council’s success would be measured by the standards it established, the progress it enabled and the institution it left behind, rather than the number of meetings held or documents approved.
He emphasised that the university must uphold its core values of Knowledge, Service and Integrity, saying they should guide its decisions, academic standards and leadership practices.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Minister for Education, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, announced that the government had committed $25 million in seed funding towards the university’s take-off, adding that the money had been paid to the Chief of Defence Staff.
He also said the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), under its 2027 funding formula, would support faculty development, including fully funded doctoral or professional training for at least 10 faculty members.
Mr Iddrisu said the university would bring military training institutions under a unified academic framework, strengthen research and prepare military personnel, security professionals and civilians to address emerging security threats.
He stressed that meritocracy must guide admissions, graduation and staff appointments, while the institution strengthened civil-military relations and contributed to Ghana’s democratic development.
Speaking on behalf of the council, its Chairman, Professor John O. Gyapong, pledged to strengthen governance, ensure a smooth institutional transition, uphold academic standards and pursue strategic planning to position the university as a leading institution in Ghana and across the continent.
He said the council would develop a practical transition plan, protect the credibility of qualifications and strengthen research partnerships while preserving the distinctive strengths of the constituent colleges.
Professor Gyapong said the council would work with management, the Ghana Armed Forces and other partners to ensure that the university’s graduates and research contributed meaningfully to Ghana’s security and national development.
BY NELLY QUARCOOPOME
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