The Ghana Army commenced Exercise Thunderbolt 2026 today, hosting the event at the Yawhima Military Shooting Range in the Bono Region. The initiative, designed to enhance marksmanship, weapon-handling skills, and operational readiness among military personnel, is a five-day competition designed to bolster the Army’s capacity to maintain defensive vigilance and security across the country. Participants include teams from the Southern Command, Northern Command, Central Command, Support Services Command, and the Army Special Operations Brigade. The exercise focuses on both marksmanship and weapon handling competition, alongside collaborative training sessions dedicated to sharing best practices. The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, commended the Army’s selection of the Bono Region for this crucial training opportunity. He emphasized the importance of exercise for maintaining operational readiness and promoting public confidence in national security, acknowledging the Army’s contributions to safeguarding peace and security. The Minister urged participants to uphold discipline, safety, teamwork, and professionalism throughout the competition, while advocating for communities to continue supporting security agencies. GOC Brigadier General Joshua Amanor stated that Exercise Thunderbolt goes beyond a competition, emphasizing intensified training in weapon handling and marksmanship, fostering teamwork and expertise, and identifying potential future leaders within the Army. The competition aims to recognize and intensify training in the Army’s shooting capabilities, including a potential competition to represent Ghana at the upcoming Ghana Armed Forces Shooting Competition, Exercise Fire Blast 2026. The GOC stressed that operational preparedness for emerging threats requires consistent, realistic, and continuous training, advocating for a balanced approach during the competition, ensuring safety and prioritizing disciplined adherence to established range protocols and rules.
Source: TV3
