Support Services Brigade
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Short description|Ghana Armed Forces military unit}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Support Services Brigade
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| dates = 30 January 1961
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| country = {{flag|Ghana}}
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| branch = Army (1969-1996)
Ghana Armed Forces (1996-present)
| type = Support
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| garrison = Accra{{cite web | url=https://beegeagle.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/ghana-armed-forces-to-hold-open-day/ | title=Ghana Armed Forces to Hold Open Day | date=2 March 2012 }}
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| current_commander = Brigadier General Selassie Gagakuma{{cite web | url=https://www.ghanapeacejournal.com/gen-agyakwa-hands-over-at-support/ | title=Gen Agyakwa Hands over at Support | date=22 July 2023 }}
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| notable_commanders = Brigadier General Musa Whajah{{cite web | url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Support-Services-Brigade-urged-to-eschew-crime-342239 | title=Support Services Brigade urged to eschew crime | date=12 January 2015 }}
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The Support Services Brigade is a unit of the Ghana Armed Forces.
History
The expansion of the Ghana military support unit was completed in 1962 with the establishment of the Ghana Army by an act of the Parliament of Ghana and restructuring of the Ghana Army into two infantry brigades, the 1st and the 2nd.Africa South of the Sahara 2003, 32nd Edition
The Common Services Establishment Committee was formed in January 1969 with the aim of creating a logistics brigade for the Ghana Army using auxiliary units.{{cite web |title=Ghana |url=https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/files/books/SIPRI06OmHu/SIPRI06OmHu04.pdf |website=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute |access-date=25 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619150359/https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/files/books/SIPRI06OmHu/SIPRI06OmHu04.pdf |archive-date=Jun 19, 2023 |language=en |date=14 Aug 2008 |url-status=live}} In October 1969, the services and units were combined to form the Support Services Brigade Group, primarily for administrative efficiency rather than operational purposes. The new Brigade's headquarters consisted mostly of troops from the Army Engineers, who were involved in various civil assistance activities such as the construction of the Akosombo Dam. The initial commander of the headquarters was Colonel Douglas Sanni-Thomas, who was later replaced by Colonel Victor Coker-Appiah.
In May 1985, the Support Service Brigade Group was created, and it was reactivated in June 1987 under the Army Headquarters. The headquarters was relocated to Medo Lines, Burma Camp.
In 1996, the brigade underwent reorganization and was no longer under the command of the Army Headquarters. Instead, it was placed under the General Headquarters, along with all the units under it.{{Cite web |title=Ghana - Support Services Brigade Group |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/africa/gh-army-support.htm |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=www.globalsecurity.org}}
Units
As of 2016, the units under the Support Services Brigade Group are:
- HQ Special Services Brigade
- GHQ (Camp)
- 49th Engineer Regiment
- Headquarters, Ghana Military Police
- Defence Signal Regiment
- Forces Pay Regiment (FPR)
- Mechanical Transport Battalion
- Base Ordnance Depot (BOD)
- Base Ammunition Depot (BAD)
- Base Supply Depot (BSD)
- Armed Forces Printing Press (AFPP)
- Armed Forces Fire Service (AFFS)
- Base Workshop
- Armed Forces Central Band (AFCB)
- Ghana Armed Forces Institute (GAFI)
- Armed Forces Museum
- 5 Forces Movement Unit (5 FMU)
- 1 Forces Movement Unit (5 FMU)
- Forces Records Office (FRO)
- 5 Garrison Education Centre
- Army Signal Training School (ASTS)
- Armed Forces Secondary Technical School (AFSTS)