President names Rear Admiral Amoama new CDS
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed Rear Admiral Seth Amoama to act as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
Rear Admiral Amoama, who until his appointment was the Chief of Naval Staff, replaces Lt..Gen Obed Akwa, who has completed his tour of duty and subsequently retired from the GAF.
A statement issued by the Presidency on Friday said Rear Adm. Amoama’s appointment takes effect from Friday February 5, 2021. He would act in that capacity pending consultation with the yet-to-be-constituted Council of State.
The President, the statement said, had also appointed Rear Admiral Issah Adams Yakubu to act as Chief of Naval Staff, also pending consultation with the yet-to-be-constituted Council of State.
He was the Chief of Staff at the GAF Headquarters prior to his appointment, which also takes effect from Friday, February 5, 2021.
The statement said the President would in due course appoint a new Chief of Staff to fill that vacancy at the GAF’s Headquarters.
The President expressed gratitude to the outgoing CDS for his ‘dedicated and meritorious’ service to the GAF.
Bio of Rear Admiral Amoama
The profile of Rear Admiral Amoama, as published by the Ghana Armed Forces on its official website:
Rear Admiral Seth Amoama was enlisted into the Ghana Armed Forces as a Naval Cadet in 1981 and had his initial training at the Ghana Military Academy (GMA). While at GMA, he was sent to the Pakistan Naval Academy on 1 August 1982, to continue with his training and was commissioned into the Executive Branch of the Ghana Navy in December 1984. He was a proud winner of the sword of honour on graduation in Pakistan.
Rear Admiral Amoama’s military training and qualifications include: International Sub-Lieutenant Course at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, UK. He attended the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff Courses both Junior and Senior Divisions at Teshie, Accra and was the best all round graduate on both courses. He was a member of the Naval Staff Course, Class 53 at US Naval War College, Newport Rhode Island graduating with distinction. He graduated from the Nigerian Defence College in August 2013 as the best all round graduate.
The Chief of the Naval Staff is an alumnus of the Galilee Institute of Management in Israel and holds a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies from the Political Science Department of University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
He has held numerous appointments in the Ghana Armed Forces both afloat and ashore. He was the Watch Keeping Officer onboard GHANA NAVY SHIPS SEBO, ACHIMOTA and YOGAGA at different times in his career. He also served as Commanding Officer onboard GHANA NAVY SHIPS DZATA (Oct 91 – Feb 94) and ACHIMOTA (Jul 08 – Mar 09).
Between 02 March and 03 March, he served as Directing Staff at the Junior and later Senior Division of the Ghana Armed Forces Command & Staff College. He was later seconded to the United Nations Headquarters as Military Planning Officer at the Department of Peacekeeping Operations from February 2005 to May 2008. Admiral Amoama was the Director of Administration at the Naval Headquarters (1 Apr 09 – 31 Jul 13), Military Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff (1 Aug 13 – 31 Jul 14) and later the Chief Staff Officer at the Naval Headquarters (1 August 14 – 28 February 16). He also served as the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command from 1 Mar 16 to Jun 16. Until his appointment as the Chief of the Naval Staff, he was the Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces Command & Staff College from 1 July 2016 to 3 January 2019.
Admiral Amoama has some peacekeeping experience, having served as UN Military Observer in Rwanda (1995-1996), UN Liaison Officer in Lebanon (1997-1998), and UN Staff Officer in Sierra Leone (2001-2002).
He is married to Victoria with three children. He likes music and flowers.
Source: GNA