Chemogoh Kevin Dzang

Rear Admiral Chemogoh Kevin Dzang (27 July 1941 — 29 December 2009) was born at Nandom in the Upper West Region of Ghana.

He was a naval officer and a former Chief of Naval Staff of the Ghana Navy.

He also served Ghana as a Secretary of State for Defence and an ambassador to Japan with concurrent accreditation to the Commonwealth of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam and Thailand.

Born at Nandom in the Lawra-Nandom district of the Upper West Region of Ghana, Dzang was educated at the Nandom Local Authority Primary School from 1948 to 1953 and the Lawra Middle School from 1954 to 1955.

Having passed the Common Entrance Examination, he was attended the Government Secondary School at Tamale (now Tamale Senior High School) from 1956 to 1960.

After the General Certificate of Examinations, he opted to join the Ghana Armed Forces (Navy) rather than continue to the sixth form for which he was well qualified and given admission to pursue Science at the same Government Secondary School in Tamale.

In a highly competitive selection process, Dzang entered the Ghana Military Academy as an Officer Cadet in September 1960.

While in the academy, he was confirmed a Naval Cadet and proceeded to the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth in South Devon, United Kingdom, in August 1961.

Along with six other Ghanaian cadets, Dzang joined the British and other Commonwealth naval cadets for comprehensive training, starting as naval cadets to midshipmen at sea and acting sub-lieutenants.

Dzang graduated from Dartmouth in 1964 and returned to Ghana for deployment within the Ghana Armed Forces.

His first appointment was to the ship GNS Afadzato as first lieutenant and second-in-command.

The ship immediately sailed for refit in Gibraltar in the company of GNS Yogaga.

Both vessels were inshore minesweepers and the passage was epoch-breaking, eventful, and uncomfortable.

In the end, however, both officers and men discovered their ‘sea legs’ and developed indomitable confidence to face challenges at sea.

While the vessels were refitting in Gibraltar, Dzang was appointed to GNS Achimota for the passage from Southampton to Ghana, with secondary duties as the navigational officer.

After docking in Tema, Ghana, Dzang was flown back to Gibraltar to rejoin GNS Afadzato for the return passage to Ghana after the refit.

Apart from the anxiety of the crew to return home to their loved ones and friends, the passage itself was smooth and uneventful.

A few months after the vessels’ return to Ghana, Dzang was promoted to lieutenant and given command of GNS Afadzato in 1965.

Soon after assuming command, the coup d‘état of February 1966 took place.

By the terms and conditions of service of the expatriate British Joint Services Training Team (BJSTT), no British personnel were to be involved in duties associated with the coup in Ghana.

It was therefore the added responsibility of ships commanded by Ghanaian naval officers to undertake all patrol duties at sea and protect the territorial sovereignty of Ghana.

In 1967, Dzang was appointed the training officer at the Takoradi Naval Base.

In 1968, he was given additional duties as the base administrative officer.

With the BJSTT not in full control because of the military government, the Navy in particular was short of experienced senior personnel.

The substantive Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) and Navy Commander, Rear Admiral David Hanson, was relieved of his duties and appointed defense advisor to the High Commission in London.

Air Marshall M.A. Otu, the Chief of Air Staff, was appointed Acting Chief of Naval Staff as well, while Commodore Krishnan of the Indian Navy was commissioned to review the Ghana Navy.

Krishnan was tasked with evaluating the personnel situation and promoting Ghanaian officers to top administrative positions.

He also reviewed the Navy fleet and suggested suitable vessels for acquisition.

The government approved most of his recommendations and selected seven senior executive officers for senior appointments, intending to identify a suitable candidate for the Chief of Naval Staff and Navy Commander positions.

Krishnan's team consisted of both Ghanaian and Indian staff members.

Dzang was selected as Chief of Naval Staff in 1972, while he was at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington India.

Upon his return, he was promoted to the rank of naval captain and appointed the substantive Chief of Naval Staff and Navy Commander.

Dzang was thus the first Dartmouth-trained executive naval officer to assume substantive command of the Ghana Navy and as the Chief of Naval Staff.

Rear Admiral Hansen had acquired many ships for the Navy while he was CNS.

Quaye had also ordered two fast patrol boats, which were under construction by Christof Rutorf in a German shipyard at Mainz Kastel.

Many of the vessels in the fleet were now very old and needed refitting.

The necessary funds were not available, and so the ships on the inventory were not seaworthy.

The CNS was mandated to refurbish and refit the ships to make them seaworthy and efficiently perform at sea.

There was equally a need for sea training for all ranks.Two corvettes, which were in very bad condition, were the first to be sent to Vosper Thorny crof t in the United Kingdom for refit.

Local refits were also carried out on the Seaward Defence Boats.