Death of Former Defense Minister Lt. General JH Smith Reported

Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith, a former Minister of Defence and Army Commander of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), known as JH Smith, has passed away at the age of 78. Family sources confirmed that he died on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, following a brief illness. Ambassador Victor Smith, the younger brother of the late Lt Gen JH Smith, announced his passing. The report noted that funeral arrangements, following Muslim tradition, will be disclosed soon. In addition to his distinguished military career, Lt. Gen JH Smith served as the Minister of Defence during the presidency of the late John Evans Atta Mills (2009-2013) and later held the role of Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.