A 5-member delegation led by the Chief of Staff, ECOWAS Standby Force Headquarters (ESF) in Abuja, Nigeria, Brig Gen Mactar Diop has paid a 5- day working visit to Ghana to inspect and assess resources pledged by the government of Ghana to the Standby Task Force.

The visit, which commenced on Monday 17 July 2023, was recommended by the Committee of Chiefs of the Defence Staff (CCDS) for the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force to take stock of issues discussed in previous meetings, ascertain how they would be implemented, and measures to safeguard the collective security of the region.

The Chief of Staff at the General Headquarters, Maj Gen PN Andoh after outlining the measures put in place to safeguard the collective security of the region, stated that it was imperative for ECOWAS to respond swiftly to the growing challenges. Adding that Ghana is poised to collaborate with other countries to crack down on all forms of illegal activities to restore peace in the region.

The team, as part of their inspection, visited the 48 Engineer Regiment which forms the nucleus of Ghana’s ESF to inspect equipment and troops readiness for deployment. The Delegation also visited the Headquarters of Op KOUNDANLGOU which is co-located with the Headquarters Northern Command at Nyohini Camp in Tamale.

They were later taken on a tour of the headquarters to inspect the equipment and other logistics to be used by the headquarters once it is operationalised. They also inspected other equipment/stores at 3 Field Ordnance Company at Kamina.

Operation KOUDANLGOU is composed of personnel from Benin, Burkina, Cote D’Ivoire, Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Togo. The Multi-National Joint Task Force would seek to dismantle and incapacitate Terrorist Armed Groups and Violent Extremist Groups operating along the borders of the aforementioned countries.