Lieutenant General Arnold Quainoo, a distinguished Ghanaian soldier known for his pivotal role in the country’s military history and contributions to regional stability, will be laid to rest today, February 7, 2025, at the Military Cemetery. He passed away on December 2, 2024, at the age of 85.
According to his family, a burial mass for the esteemed military leader, affectionately known as the Buffalo Soldier, will take place at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Burma Camp, Accra.
The service will begin with a file past from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., followed by the Mass at 9:00 a.m., after which Lieutenant General Quainoo will be laid to rest with full military honors. Funeral rites will continue at the Arakan Officers’ Mess in Burma Camp following the burial.
Lieutenant General Quainoo’s military career was defined by exceptional leadership and dedication, earning him recognition as one of Ghana’s most distinguished soldiers.
He served twice as Army Commander, first in 1979 following the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) coup, which ousted the Supreme Military Council. When Ghana transitioned to constitutional rule in 1981 under President Dr. Hilla Limann, he was replaced. However, after the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) took power in a subsequent coup, he was reappointed as Chief of Army Staff.
He later 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. During this period, he played a crucial role in stabilizing the military amid a politically turbulent era.
On the international stage, Lieutenant General Quainoo became the first commander of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in 1990, leading the intervention in Liberia to help end the civil war.
Today, Ghana bids farewell to a true patriot, a military legend, and a man who dedicated his life to service.
