All is well that ends well and so has been the end of the command of Air Vice Marshall (AVM) Frederick Asare Bekoe, as the Base Commander, Air Force Base, Accra, under the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), as he handed over to Group Captain Joshua Mensah-Larkai.
AVM Bekoe who was appointed Commander of the famous Air Force Base, Accra, on the 11th of January, 2016, handed over power on Thursday, January 31st, 2019 with an elaborate handing/taking over parade and a Pulling Out ceremony, and now assumes flying responsibilities at the Jubilee House.
Under the command of AVM Bekoe, a number of operational successes were attained which included the following; VIP and government delegation flights, support flights for sister services without incidents, GHAV Heli unit in Cote d’Ivoire and MINUSMA unit in Mali, all finished their UN tour successfully and returned home safely.
Also, relief flights were performed to support Sierra Leone and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in northern Ghana, whiles support flights for GAF operations and several Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) flights to save lives, were organized.
Training was also given a fair share of attention resulting in Air Force Base, Accra winning the Overall Best in the 2018 Inter Bases Shooting Competition, and so was the conversion of pilots and the training of cabin attendants.
On security, the Base under AVM Bekoe, maintained a high security alert posture always and that won them the admiration of the Intelligence Survey Team to become the Best-Secured Unit in 5 Garrison.
Feats chalked under infrastructural improvements included installation of a 40-footer container generator unit and LED street lighting of the entire base, construction of accommodation block for 36 Airmen, S of TT Auditorium, Hostel and E-Library, a Flight Catering for young Airmen, Lokko and Akoensi/Bosomefi Complex and Ammo Dump’
Additionally, there was the renovations of the Junior Ranks’ Mess, Amenity Centre, Briefing Room for 5 Forces Movement, the Battery Section, AVM Kotei Hangar, the Rescue Fire Fighting Service, the modernization of the Pilots’ Crew Room, the Base Washroom and the setup of the first ever mango and corn farm for the base and fish pond.
Some of the dignitaries present at the parade were the Chief of Staff (COS) at the General Headquarters (GHQ) – Major General (Maj Gen) Thomas Oppong-Peprah, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) – AVM Frank Hanson amongst many.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode