On Wednesday, January 24, 2023, Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, the Chief of Army Staff, was appointed as the new Chief of Defense Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
View Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah’s profile, provided by the Ghanaian Armed Forces, below:
As part of Regular Career Course 26, Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah was commissioned into the Ghanaian Armed Forces in 1986 and assigned as a Second Lieutenant to the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment.
His civil education includes an Executive Master of Business Administration (Human Resource Management) from University of Ghana, Legon (2006 to 2007) and a Master of Arts in International Security and Strategy from Kings College, London (2013 to 2014).
In addition, he holds a Post-Graduate Certificate in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (1998) and a Bachelor of Science in Administration (Human Resource Management) from the University of Ghana (1999–2004).
Major General Oppong-Peprah has completed a number of courses aimed at advancing her career. The courses that fall under this category are the following: the Defense Studies program at the Royal College of Defence, London, United Kingdom (2013–2014); the Law of Combating Terrorism at the Defence Institute of International Legal Studies, Newport, Rhode Island, USA (2009); the Combined/Joint Forces Land Component Commanders Course at USA Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania (April 2021); and the Senior Command and Staff Course at the US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, USA (2000–2001).
Additional courses taken for career advancement include the Junior Command and Staff Course at the Command and Staff College in Kaduna, Nigeria (1997), the Senior Command and Staff Course at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Accra (1998 to 1999), and the Armour Officer Basic Course at the US Army Armour School in Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA (1996).
Throughout his career, he has held positions as an aide-de-camp to the chief of the army staff and chief of the defense staff of the Ghana Armed Forces (1995–1997), as well as an operations/training officer position with the 64 Infantry Regiment (1999–2000).
From 2002 to 2009, he held the position of Commanding Officer of the 64 Infantry Regiment. From 2004 to 2005, he also served as the Commander of the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment.
In addition, he served as the Army Combat Training School, Teshie’s Disaster Management Course Instructor (2001–2005) and State Transport Security Coordinator (2001–2008). Additional positions held include Director, Defense Intelligence Department, Strategic Intelligence Assessment (2009–2011) and Director, Defense Industries Department, General Headquarters (2011–2013).
Additionally, he served as the Army Headquarters’ Director of Army Peacekeeping Operations from February to July 16 and Director of Army Training from September 14 to February 16. From July 16 to February 17, he held the position of Chief Staff Officer at the same headquarters.
Before being named Chief of Staff at General Headquarters, he served as the Ghana Army’s General Officer Commanding, Southern Command (February 17–January 19). He served as the General Headquarters’ Chief of Staff for approximately a year until being named Chief of the Army Staff in March 2020, where he is now employed.
Maj Gen Oppong-Peprah participated in international peacekeeping missions as a G4 Transport and Plans, United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (1993), Military Observer, United Nations Aouzou Strip Observer Group in Libya/Chad (March to May 1994), Humanitarian Officer, United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda (June to December 1994), and Detachment Second-In-Command/Troop Leader, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon/Israel (1987, 1989, 1992).
He is a member of the National Disaster Management Organization’s (NADMO) Governing Council.
Thomas Oppong-Peprah, a major general, is married and has five kids. He likes to jog, watch movies, travel, play soccer, and ride horses.
