UN, Lebanon honours dead Ghanaian peace keeper

The United Nations (UN) Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have eulogised Warrant Officer (WO) Ackah Patrick, a Ghanaian who died on a peacekeeping mission.

WO Ackah got sick and died on April 28, while serving in south Lebanon.

Other UN soldiers joined to pay their last respect at a memorial ceremony held at Ghana’s base at Al-Qawzah on May 14. The event was limited to only a few people due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The soldier who died at age 51 was deployed in July 2019 on his third tour in Lebanon after serving there previously in 2003 and 2009.

WO Ackah who had served in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for more than 28 years, also participated in other UN peace missions in Congo and Cote D’Ivoire and other African countries.

He was survived by a wife and two children.

Leading the tributes, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major General Stefano Del Col, said: “We would like to express heartfelt gratitude to his family and his country, for giving us the privilege to serve with Warrant Officer Ackah Patrick, and for their valuable contribution to our joint efforts.

He added: “We shall always keep in mind our fallen comrades in arms, for they represent an example of unwavering commitment to UNIFIL and to this country.”

Major General Del Col awarded WO Patrick with the UN Medal posthumously for his dedicated service for peace and stability in south Lebanon. LAF representative Brigadier General Youssef Chalhoub also awarded him a Lebanese medal.

More than 300 soldiers have died serving under UNIFIL since it was formed in 1978 for the purpose of maintaining peace in Lebanon.

A total of 34 of the deceased are Ghanaian servicemen.