Brigadier General Richard Kainyi Mensah, commander of the Army Special Operations Brigade, cautioned Ghana about escalating security challenges in the Sahel and West Africa at the 2026 graduation ceremony of the Special Operations Forces Basic Course 5.
Only 20 of the 87 candidates who began the nine‑month selection process completed the course, underscoring the rigorous standards required for special operations roles.
“The contemporary security environment is increasingly complex, characterized by terrorism, violent extremism, organized crime, cyber threats, and asymmetric warfare, particularly across the Sahel and West Africa,” Kainyi Mensah said. “Ghana must therefore remain vigilant and prepared. Special Operations Forces provide precise, agile, and adaptable capabilities to address emerging threats under these challenging conditions.”
He also encouraged female officers to pursue careers in special operations, noting that while the brigade has yet to graduate its first female operator, opportunities exist for those who meet the demanding standards.
Looking ahead, the commander announced that the next selection process for Basic Course 6 is scheduled for November 2026 and urged prospective candidates to begin preparations immediately, warning that those who have not yet started are “too late.”
The graduating cohort included personnel from the Army Special Operations Brigade, the 5th Infantry Battalion, 10th Mechanist Battalion, 153 Armoured Regiment, Jungle Warfare School, 37th Military Hospital, and the Ghana Armed Forces Fiscal Training School.
