Lt Gen. Quainoo goes home Friday
One of Ghana’s distinguished soldiers who played a crucial role in Ghana’s military history, contributing to both national and regional stability, Lieutenant General Arnold Quainoo, will be laid to rest on Friday, February 7, at the Military Cemetery.
He passed away on December 2, 2024, at the age of 85.
Yesterday, the Daily Graphic inadvertently published that the burial would be on Saturday. However, details of the funeral programme released by the family indicate that the burial mass for the distinguished military leader, fondly known as “Buffalo Soldier”, will take place at St Catherine Catholic Church, Burma Camp, in Accra on Friday.
This will be preceded by a file past from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., followed by the Mass at 9 a.m., after which he will be laid to rest with full Military honours.
Funeral rites will continue at the Arakan Officers’ Mess in Burma Camp after the burial.
Career
As a soldier, Lt. Gen. Quainoo’s leadership and dedication earned him a place among Ghana’s most distinguished military figures.
He also served twice as Army Commander, first in 1979 following the coup-d'état by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), which overthrew the Supreme Military Council.
Following the country’s return to constitutional rule in 1981, he was replaced when the Dr Hilla Limann’s government was elected.
Lt Gen. Quainoo was, however, re-appointed as Chief of Army Staff following the coup by the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
He succeeded Flight Lieutenant J.J. Rawlings as Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), serving as Ghana’s 22nd CDS from August 25, 1983, to September 22, 1989, playing a crucial role in stabilising the military during a politically turbulent period.
On the international front, in 1990, he was appointed the first commander of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), which intervened in Liberia to help end the civil war.
The Lt General was also famed for his firm stance on military discipline.
He abolished extravagant initiation and wetting ceremonies in military messes, replacing them with the reaffirmation ceremony.
He is survived by his wife, Juliet Flora Quainoo, and children: Josephine Aba Quainoo, Brenda Esi McGail, Anthony Quainoo, Audrey Asamoah, Ida Antonia Gyan-Bediako, Arnold Ato Quainoo and Julian Ebow Quainoo.