The Joint Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, and Education, has convened to deliberate on the draft of National Defence University (NDU), Ghana Bill. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a dedicated, autonomous institution capable of building internal capacity and independently awarding its own degrees.
This specialised university is designed to serve as a central academic and operational hub, coordinating best practices and strategic security management across the Ghana Armed Forces and sister security agencies.
During the session, the Minister for Education, Hon Haruna Iddrisu, emphasised that a robust legal framework extending beyond a standard charter is essential to help the nation tackle complex, modern threats. He highlighted that the NDU will play a critical role in building national security capacity to confront contemporary challenges like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), climate security, terrorism and maritime safety.
Echoing this sentiment, the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General William Agyapong, noted that the institution will create vital operational models, fostering the concerted inter-agency efforts needed to combat transnational issues such as trafficking.
The Deputy Minister for Defence, Hon Ernest Brogya Genfi expressed gratitude to the Joint Committee for the urgency and dedication they have attached to making this institutional dream a reality.
Following these opening remarks, the Joint Committee comprehensively discussed the draft bill. The committee is mandated to refine the draft document to ensure the final piece of legislation provides a comprehensive framework for national security education before it is presented to the plenary floor of Parliament.
The Bill, which is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education, is intended to address the absence of a central coordinating authority by providing a unified institutional framework to coordinate, regulate and supervise all tertiary-level defence education and training within the Ghana Armed Forces. This will ensure consistency in academic standards, strengthen quality assurance systems and enable the award of degrees, diploma and certificates under a single nationally recognised authority.
In attendance were the Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr Emmanuel Kartey; the Acting President of National Defence University, Air Vice Marshal Felix Adom Asante; Acting Judge Advocate General, Brigadier General Benjamin Amoah-Boakye; Deputy Judge Advocate General Colonel Frederick Aboagye; Director Public Relations, Colonel Ernestina Assan; Legal Advisor to the Minister, Mr Oliver Bio Esq and the Director Policy, Planning, Budget, Monitoring and Evaluation, Madam Abena Ofosua Dankwa.
