Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, Chief of the Army Staff, has asked personnel in the Army to remain focused and selfless in the performance of their duties, especially as the country heads for the polls in 2024. '2024 is also an election year, and you will be expected to support the conduct of peaceful elections. Our success will largely depend on sound intelligence and total commitment to defend our country at all cost. 'Therefore, I urge all of you to keep your ears to the ground at all times and remain selfless and focused in the performance of your duties,' he said. Major General Oppong-Peprah said this in a speech read on his behalf by Brigadier General BB Owusu, Chief Staff Officer Army, at the end of year West African Soldiers Social Activity (WASSA) at the Headquarters Southern Command, Ghana Army. The occasion offered an opportunity for the personnel to interact with each other, take stock of the passing year and plan for the future. It was also used to award hardworking military and defence civilian staff of the Command, who exhibited extraordinary work ethic in the past year. 'If the level of commitment and loyalty that you have demonstrated over the year is anything to go by, then I am sure that we shall be successful in the conduct of our duties in the coming year as well,' he said. Major General Oppong-Peprah noted that a lot would be expected of the Army in 2024 in the area of Internal Security Operations such as the Operation HALT II, to stop illegal miners, who were degrading the environment in many parts of the country. He commended the military leadership for the commitment shown towards the spiritual welfare of all ranks through the conduct of Non-Denominational Religious Services and weekly Padre Hours. He admonished them to stay strong in their respective religious faith, love their neighbour, trust and obey all leaders, and hold their friends close and stand up for loved ones. Brigadier General Samuel Yeboah Asare, the General Officer Commanding of the Headquarters Southern Com mand, urged the command to continue to be disciplined and fearless in the discharge of all duties. 'Avoid illegal one-man operations, and other activities and habits that will land you in trouble. 'I also charge you all to join in the crusade to strengthen civil-military cooperation and to foster better relations with other sister security agencies.' he added. Source: Ghana News Agency WINDHOEK: The Office of the Labour Commissioner has raised concern about limited annual returns by registered trade unions, saying out of 47 registered unions, only 12 have submitted their annual returns. Similarly, only three out of 17 employers' organisations have submitted their returns, the Office of the Labour Commissioner said in a statement on Thursday. It said some of the trade unions and employers' organisations that submitted returns provided written representations, while others requested one-on-one representations. 'The minimal number of submissions of annual returns so far raises significant concerns as some of these entities may lack transparency and accountability to their members, while others may be dormant,' the statement read. It further said the submitted annual returns are yet to be analysed to assess their compliance status. The findings will guide subsequent actions by the Labour Commissioner. According to the Labour Act, the Labour Commissioner has the authority to issue complianc e orders to non-compliant entities. This may involve steps to rectify non-compliance. Failure to adhere to the order could lead to deregistration or intervention from the Labour Court. The court may issue orders, including suspending registrations pending compliance. Source: The Namibia Press Agency