The Northern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on Monday, August 25, 2025, opened the maiden Training of Trainers (ToT) Course on Preventing the Recruitment and Use of Children in Armed Violence.
The two-week programme, being held in Tamale, brings together officers from the GAF, the Ghana Police Service, and the Ghana Immigration Service. It aims to equip participants with the skills to raise awareness and enforce child protection standards in conflict-prone areas.
General Officer Commanding Northern Command, Brigadier General Worlanyo Agbebo, said the issue of child recruitment is not limited to foreign conflicts but also threatens areas experiencing instability.
He explained that the course would prepare participants to identify, prevent, and respond effectively to cases of child soldiering.
He added that Ghana’s reputation in peacekeeping requires the security services to build expertise in addressing child recruitment locally and abroad. The training combines both basic and advanced modules.
Project Director of the Dallaire Institute, Mr. Arsene Tshidimu, said the initiative is in line with the Vancouver Principles, which prioritise child protection in security operations.
He described the programme as the first of its kind in Ghana outside peace support operations and commended the support of the GAF, Northern Command, and Global Affairs Canada.
