The Ghana Army in Collaboration with the Ghana Navy and Air Force have begun Exercise Storm Shield-2026 as part of efforts to ward off extremist activities.
It is a two-week exercise that would see the Army, Navy, Air Force and other security agencies including the Ghana Police Service, Prison Service, Immigration Service amongst others jointly train and map out strategies in dealing with acts of extremism.
The training comes at a critical time amid growing security concerns across West Africa and the Sahel. Countries bordering Ghana, including Burkina Faso, continue to face persistent extremist violence, increasing the urgency for preventive action in northern Ghana. Although Ghana remains peaceful and stable, experts warn that factors such as youth unemployment, inequality, exclusion, misinformation, and unresolved community conflicts can create vulnerabilities that extremist groups may seek to exploit.
Dealing with the situation requires a high state of operational readiness, collaboration and professionalism from the Ghana Armed Forces and other security agencies.
The integrated field training exercise within the Upper East Region and the Bui Dam General Area in the Bono Region is specifically designed to sharpen the operational effectiveness of participating troops and enhance joint and operational capabilities.
Speaking during the launch of the Exercise at Bazua, the General Officer Commanding of the Northern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, Worlanyo Agbebo, urged the participating troops to remain professional, be relentless and work as a team in order to achieve the desired results.
He further noted that joint operations remain critical in contemporary military operations. “I expect three things from you during this training:Professionalism without compromise.Follow orders, respect the chain of command, and treat every simulated civilian as if they were your own family. The legitimacy of our operations depends on it. Relentless learning. Ask questions. Challenge yourself. If something is unclear, get clarity now, not when you are 10 kilometres from base at 2 AM.” He admonished.
He disclosed that the first week of the exercise will focus on intensive company and battalion level field training activities.
“The first week of the exercise will focus on intensive company and battalion- level field training activities. This will provide participating troops and commanders the opportunity to rehearse tactical drills, command and control procedures, combat support integration, manoeuvre operations, communications, logistics coordination and battlefield decision-making under simulated operational conditions.”
He continued, stating “In the Second week, the exercise will begin with company-level offensive operations and culminate in a battalion-level offensive operation aimed at validating operational plans, testing combat readiness and assessing the ability of troops to operate effectively in a realistic and demanding operational environment. The Exercise will then end with Civil-Military Cooperation activities to reflect the Ghana Armed Forces’ recognition that modern military operations must also incorporate the human security dimension and foster positive relations with local communities.” He noted
