Ghana gets first-ever female Brigadier-General in the Armed Forces
First Lady commiserates with loved ones of the late senior female soldier
The First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, has described the late Brigadier-General Constance Ama Emefa Edjeani-Afenu as someone whose life exemplified resilience.
She also described her as a person who broke barriers.
“I have received sad news of the passing of Brigadier General Constance Ama Emefa Edjeanu-Afenu.
“She was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General, which is the highest position ever occupied by a female in the Armed Forces. The United Nations also appointed her as Deputy Force Commander in MINURSO in 2019.
“Hers was a life of resilience and breaking barriers. She was a shining example of what women can do,” a tweet from the Frist Lady’s official handle said.
The First Lady also used the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the late soldier, sending out her condolences to all whose lives had been positively affected by her while she lived.
“As an icon for women, she has received laurels from all over, including the “First Lady's Award “on International Women's Day in 2019.
“May your soul rest in peace Brigadier General and my deepest condolences to everyone whose life was touched by this great woman,” the tweet added.
Earlier, GhanaWeb reported that the woman who broke history to become the first female Brigadier General of the Ghana Armed Forces, Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu, had died.
She is said to have died at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra on Monday, January 24, 2022, following a short illness.
The late Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu was the first female to attain the highest feat in the Ghana Armed Forces when she was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on March 7, 2016.
She was commissioned into the Ghana Armed Forces on April 25, 1980, as a Second Lieutenant, after an eighteen-month regular training at the Ghana Military Academy.
General Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu was later appointed General Staff Officer Grade 3 (Training, and Personnel Staff Officer) at the Border Guards HQ from 1983 to 1984 and as Adjutant at the Border Guards Training School, Kpetoe in 1984.
In 1995, she was appointed the Second in Command of the Ghana Armed Forces Pay Regiment and in 1999 was appointed the Commanding Officer all of which she became the first female in the Armed Forces to occupy these posts.
She became the first woman to be appointed Deputy Military Adviser (DMILAD) at the Permanent Mission of Ghana to the UN, New York from 2013 to 2016.
While she was serving as DMILAD, General Constance Emefa Edjeani-Afenu was promoted in March 2016 to the rank of Brigadier-General, becoming the first female to be promoted as a General in the Ghana Armed Forces.
The Brigadier General also served the Ghana Armed Forces Representative to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department.
She participated in UN peacekeeping operations as the GhanaBatts (Ghana Battalion) in UNIFIL (1994 & 1998); MONUSCO (2007) and UNMIL (2009).
The First Lady is captured here presenting an award to the late Brigadier-General