Soldiers Are Not Enemies

Lieutenant Colonel Bob Nyaka, Commanding Officer of the Saint Anthony Jungle Warfare, on Wednesday said, the Army is not an enemy to civilians. "They are friends, whose duty are to protect and defend civilians by land, sea and air", he said. Lt. Col. Nyaka was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during this year's Open Day parade at Akim Achiase in the Eastern Region. He said the day was set aside by the military authorities to offer civilians the opportunity, to acquaint themselves with activities and operations of the security services, particularly the Armed Forces. The Commanding Officer said the day was also to bridge the gap between the military and the civilians, adding that, this would help them to understand the military's role of ensuring 'law and order' as well as defending the country. Lt. Col. Nyaka interacted with a cross-section of the civilians, who toured the jungle. According to him, since the forest had its own characteristics, the soldiers were trained to be accustomed to the climate of the jungle. He urged civilians to disabuse their minds of the negative perceptions about the military, adding that, the success chalked by the military at various war fronts, was due to the training they have acquired.