In a historic stride toward academic and professional excellence, the Ghana Armed Forces College of Nursing and Midwifery (GAFCONM) at the 37 Military Hospital has officially commenced construction on a four-storey, ultra-modern lecture block. A solemn sod-cutting ceremony, held on Tuesday, 28th April 2026, marked not merely the start of a building project but the physical embodiment of the College’s commitment to shaping the future of military and national healthcare.

The ceremony was graced by top military hierarchy, underscoring the strategic importance of the institution. The Chief of Staff at the General Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Joshua Lartei Mensah-Larkai, assisted by the President of the National Defence University (NDU), Air Vice Marshal Dr. Felix Adom Asante, performed the symbolic cutting of the sod. With this act, a timeline of approximately one year was set for the completion of what promises to be a landmark infrastructure on the College’s premises.

In his address, the Acting Principal of GAFCONM, Major Bright Atta Addae, eloquently reframed the event as far more than a groundbreaking. “This ceremony is not only to cut sod for a project,” he stated, “but to set the foundation for distinction, discipline, and the future of healthcare provision in the GAF.” He emphasized that the completed edifice would serve as a testament to academic excellence and accreditation readiness, significantly enhancing the College’s teaching, simulation, and research capacity. Importantly, the facility is designed to foster a disciplined, professional learning environment that not only befits the Ghana Armed Forces but rigorously meets the standards set by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

Major Addae further challenged both faculty and students to rise to the demands of a rapidly advancing healthcare landscape. He noted that with the demand for advanced healthcare accelerating, nurses and midwives must emerge as clinically capable, technologically proficient, disciplined, and internationally competitive professionals. Reaffirming the College’s dedication to its partners and stakeholders, he declared, “This institution will not only comply but lead. Infrastructure alone does not create excellence—it must be matched with discipline, dedication, and accountability. We are not just building; we are practicing a legacy of competence, service, and military precision in healthcare training.”

Providing the technical vision for the project, the contractor, Mr. Reindorf Ameh Mensah of God’s Favour Ameh and Sons Limited, detailed the scope of the development. The ultra-modern block will house five spacious classrooms with a combined capacity of one thousand students, a well-stocked library, eleven administrative offices, a reception area, modern washrooms, a state-of-the-art skills laboratory, and a passenger lift to ensure full disability-friendly access. This design reflects a deliberate move toward inclusive, high-capacity, and technologically integrated learning.

The ceremony drew a distinguished audience, including key figures from the Ghana Armed Forces Health Services. Among those present were the Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Brigadier General Richard Naab; the Acting Director General of Medical and Dental of the GAF Health Services, Brigadier General Clement Laryea, who also serves as Head of the Medical Division of the GAF Critical Care and Emergency Hospital. They were joined by a host of Senior Officers, dedicated faculty members, and staff of GAFCONM, all united in witnessing the dawn of a new chapter for the College.

As the earth was turned on this project, GAFCONM sent a clear message: the future of military nursing and midwifery is being forged today, not only with bricks and mortar, but with unwavering discipline, strategic vision, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.