By Benjamin Makafui Attipoe, Nutekpor

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) at Nutekpor in the South Tongu Municipality of the Volta Region, Commodore Solomon Asiedu-Larbi, has been reassigned from NAVTRAC, as its 9th FOC to take up a new appointment as the FOC Eastern Naval Command (ENC) at Tema in the Greater Accra Region.

It is against this background that, a brief, but colourful Handing and Taking Over ceremony was organized on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at the NAVTRAC, Nutekpor between Cdre. Solomon Asiedu-Larbi and his successor, Cdre. James Adongo Agambire.

The brief event, which was attended by a number of dignitaries and Directors from the General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), the Naval Headquarters as well as the Commanding Officers (COs) of the various schools under NAVTRAC, staff of NAVTRAC and the units in the 7 Garrison, was dedicated to the expression of gratitude.

Also present to grace the occasion were the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for South Tongu, Hon. Victoria Dzeklo, Members of the Municipal Security Committee, Traditional Rulers, Captains of Industry, Corporate Institutions, Members and Leaders of the Nutekpor community as well as some Security Heads and Heads of Departments and Agencies of the Assembly.

As has always characterized such events, there were sessions of praises and adoration as well as moments of prayer and worship for all and sundry including the out-going and in-coming FOCs before the symbolic handing and taking over session.

Delivering his farewell speech, the outgoing FOC, Cdre. Solomon Asiedu-Larbi was grateful for his life, mercy, health, favour, guidance and protection that enabled him and all the supporting Principal Staff Officers, Ratings and the Defence Civilian Staff to sail smoothly through his period of stewardship.

He was also grateful to the Military High Command for the confidence reposed in him and subsequently reassigning him to the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) as the FOC. Cdre.

Asiedu-Larbi paid tribute to the forbearers and visionaries of the Ghana Navy who conceived the idea of establishing NAVTRAC at such a strategic location, adding that the contribution of all the FOCs of NAVTRAC cannot be over-emphasized.

Cdre. Asiedu-Larbi noted that the past year has been a year of accomplishment as NAVTRAC witnessed the completion and commissioning of monumental projects that kept the vision of NAVTRAC of becoming a World Class Centre of Excellence for Maritime Security Training alive. ‘During the past year, NAVTRAC came into the limelight and became the focus of the maritime fraternity’, the out-going FOC emphasized.

He mentioned the Ship-in-a-box project through the collaboration with the United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime, the Danish Government and the Ghana Navy; the Donation of Two Defender Class Boats and completion of the Boat Storage Facility by the US Government through the US Navy Seabees; the Construction of the 8-unit accommodation and a seamanship classroom by the Chinese as well as the Full Mission Bridge Simulator by the Danish Government, as some of the projects NAVTRAC benefited from, through the collaborative efforts of their partners through the Naval Headquarters.

Cdre. Asiedu-Larbi announced that the Command through its affiliation with various universities issued Advanced Certificates and Diplomas that make NAVTRAC’s servicemen marketable even after exiting the military.

He disclosed that the School of Maritime Operations, School of Marine Engineering and Combat Systems, the Leadership Training School and the Supply Application School, have all been affiliated with higher institutions of learning including the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Takoradi Technical University (TTU) as well as the Ho Technical University (HTU).

The out-going FOC reminded the in-coming FOC, Cdre. James Adongo Agambire that he is taking over a very important Command with the mandate to produce leaders to fill vacant positions in the Ghana Navy and beyond. ‘I have no doubts in your capabilities to steer the affairs of this Command. As I hand over the Command of NAVTRAC to you, I am assured that our mission will remain steadfast under your leadership’, Cdre. Asiedu-Larbi intimated.

In his address, the In-coming FOC, Cdre. James Adongo Agambire was grateful and confident that he was being ushered into good hands at NAVTRAC, adding that he would tap into the knowledge, wisdom and skills of his predecessor in order to achieve greater laurels for the Command and the Navy in particular and the GAF in general.

Cdre. Agambire gave the assurance that he would work harder to build upon the success stories recorded at the Command in order to further uplift the image of the NAVTRAC. He called for support and co-operation from the staff and all the stakeholders in order to successfully deliver on his duty tour to NAVTRAC.

He was very hopeful that the landlords of Nutekpor would also continue to support his administration so as to achieve greater laurels for the Command.

Earlier in his word of exhortation to the gathering, the Chaplain of the Command, Rev. S/Lt. Sebastian Osabarimah reminded the Christian community that the protection of man comes in the form of God’s protection. 

According to him, God’s divine protection surpasses all understanding, urging Ghanaians to trust in the Lord at all times.

Rev. S/Lt. Osabarimah called on the staff of NAVTRAC and all stakeholders of the Command to continuously pray for divine protection not only for the out-going FOC but also the in-coming one.

The Agorkpo-Sogakope based ‘Borborbor’ group, later treated the gathering to some ‘Borborbor’ music and dance forms to the admiration of all and sundry.