Stephen Otu
Encyclopedia
Major General
Stephen J. A. Otu is a former Chief of the Defence Staff
of the Ghana Armed Forces
. He was the first Ghana
ian officer to serve in this capacity.
in October 1962, a position he occupied until July 1965 when the army headquarters became annexed to the Ministry of Defence. He also became the first Ghanaian officer to become the Chief of Defence Staff when the British army personnel were scaled down in 1961. He took over from Major General Henry Templer Alexander
, a career British officer.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Stephen J. A. Otu is a former Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (Ghana)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the Ghana Armed Forces. He is thus responsible for the administration and the operational control and command of the Ghana military. The Ghana Army was formed after World War II out of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African...
of the Ghana Armed Forces
Military of Ghana
The Ghana Armed Forces consists of the Army, Navy, and the Air Force. It is supervised by the Ministry of Defence . With around 7,000 personnel serving in the Ghanian military, Ghana has the lowest ratio of active troops per thousand citizens in the world, standing at 0.33. However, the Ghanaian...
. He was the first Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian officer to serve in this capacity.
Career
Stephen Otu was the second Ghanaian to become the Chief of Army StaffChief of Army Staff
The Chief of Army Staff or Chief of Staff of the Army is the most senior officer in the command structure of many armies. The title comes from the fact that the officer is the chief army aide to the Commander-in-Chief, who is usually the head of state...
in October 1962, a position he occupied until July 1965 when the army headquarters became annexed to the Ministry of Defence. He also became the first Ghanaian officer to become the Chief of Defence Staff when the British army personnel were scaled down in 1961. He took over from Major General Henry Templer Alexander
Henry Templer Alexander
Major General Henry Templer Alexander was a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.-Education:Major General Alexander attended Sedbergh School, Yorkshire. He then received military training at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.-Career:Major General Alexander was commissioned...
, a career British officer.