Ghana on Monday promoted war veteran and ex-serviceman, Private Joseph Ashitey Hammond, to the rank of Warrant Officer Class One (WO1), for his patriotic exploits and continuous service to the nation.
The honour was conferred on him by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, on July 20 this year, following his recent humanitarian efforts.
The war veteran, 95, in June this year, embarked on a two-kilometre walk a day for seven days to raise funds to support COVID-19 frontline workers and vulnerable veterans.
This earned him the “Commonwealth Points of Light Award” from the British Queen, an award he is yet to receive at an official ceremony at the British High Commission in Accra.
At a ceremony to officially confer the State Honour on Private (Pte) Ashitey Hammond, Mr Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister of Defence, described as exemplary the activities of the ex-serviceman over the years.
He said Pte Ashitey Hammond, even as a retiree, continued to contribute to the development of the country.
It was in view of these exceptional contributions and sacrifices of the war veteran that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, Nana Akufo-Addo, deemed it right and appropriate to confer on him the Honourary Rank of Warrant Officer Class One, he said.
Ex-Pte Ashitey, 95, was a Second World War veteran and was among a group of ex-servicemen who marched to the Osu Castle on February 28, 1948, to present a petition to the then Governor of the Gold Coast.
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