He appealed to Ghanaians to cooperate with the security services and the institutions charged with ensuring the success of the elections.Speaking at the 2016 graduation of the Ghana Military Academy at Teshie in Accra, President Mahama said: "In all these areas of concern and indeed, in all our efforts towards our national transformational and development agenda, we need the presence of our gallant soldiers in strength across the country.

"The security services will continue to be re-tooled to enable them provide efficient security as part of our national effort for the creation of enabling environment for economic growth, in which the creation of jobs for our teaming youth is paramount," he added.

President Mahama, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) said: "It is our goal to create significant security presence in the country and this would be among others through the creation of military garrisons in each region of Ghana.

"I believe that this will widen the scope of our vigilance, reduce operational reaction time to security situations, and lessen administrative costs of military operations."He said over the past four years, the government had established some elements of a Forward Operating Base at Ezilimbu in the Western Region, constructed new hangers for the Air Force Base, established the West African Maritime Zone 'F' and provided additional housing units for the GAF.

He announced that the government would within the next four years assist the GAF to establish a Flight Training School, which would be a Centre of Excellence in West Africa."We will also increase the numerical strength of the Ghana Armed Forces and continue to provide the needed up-to-date logistics to facilitate and enhance your performance."

He urged the graduating officers to live up to expectations and work together for the good of the country. The graduation was held for cadres of the Regular Career Course (RCC) 56 and Short Service Commission/Special Duties Course 54 graduated into fully fledged officers.

The graduating officers for the RCC were 62; which consist of 29 officers from the Ghana Army, three from Benin and two from Guinea.The rest are 17 Navy and 11 Air Force Officers from the Ghana Armed Forces.

The officers for the Short Service Commission/Special Duties Course 54 were 38, who were all from Ghana Armed Forces.Their distribution were Army 21, Navy eight and Air force nine.Special Senior under Officer Addo Larbi won the Sword of Honour Award.

The GMA was established on April 1, 1960 after years of reliance on foreign Military Academies to commission potential Ghanaian Officers for the Ghana Armed Forces.The mission of GMA is to produce leaders of character for the defence of Ghana.