AIRMEN CAUTIONED (PAGE 34)

THE Chief Staff Officer at the Air Force Headquarters, Air Commodore Is Kadri, has cautioned airmen not to indulge in activities that are outside their purview.
He said indulging in debt collection, land guard duties, arbitration in chieftaincy disputes, unauthorised arrest of drug peddlers and unsolicited police duties was not what they were trained to do.
Addressing a parade of newly qualified airmen and women in Takoradi last Friday, Air Commodore Kadri warned them not to let their personal desires prevail over issues which were clearly out of their domain in order not to drag the name of the Air Force into disrepute.
In all, a total of 145 men and women passed out in Course 1/2008 after 25 weeks of intensive training, which took them through sense of team spirit, co-operation, mental robustness, fortitude, confidence and stamina.
Air Commodore Kadri warned that “the Air Force will not countenance any act of commission or omission on your part, as you will individually be answerable to the Command for acts of indiscipline”.
“You are joining a service which has won the trust and confidence of the citizenry through a healthy civil-military relationship. Our duties and responsibilities as airmen/women are clearly spelt out in the Armed Forces Regulations,” he said.
Commodore Kadri reminded them to ensure that the integrity of the Air Force was protected.
The government, he said, was addressing the operational challenges of the Air Force.
“Indeed, the Armed Forces, just like other state institutions, compete for the nation’s scare resources to enhance their outlook and effectiveness,” he said.
Commodore Kadri said the Air Force was looking forward to improvements in its needs, especially in the area of accommodation and acquisition of aircraft.
He, therefore, urged them to dedicate themselves to the profession and the defence of Ghana at all times.
The chief staff officer reminded them that although they had passed out, “training in the armed forces is a continuous and uninterrupted activity. What you went through is just the foundation; training will recommence the very first day you report at various base/stations.”
The Takoradi Air Force Station Commander, Air Commodore Michael Samson-Oje, administered the oath (Which oath?) to the newly trained airmen/women.