{{Short description|Ghanaian naval officer (1951–2020)}} {{Infobox military person |name= Matthew Quashie |birth_date= {{birth date|1951|3|23|df=y}} |death_date= {{death date and age |2020|01|9|1951|3|23 |df=y}} |birth_place=Accra, Ghana |death_place= Accra, Ghana |image=VADM Mathew Quashie, Chief of Defense Staff for the Ghana Armed Forces, visits U.S. Africa Command.jpg |caption= |nickname= |allegiance=Ghana |branch=Ghana Navy |service_years=1970–January, 2016. |rank=Vice Admiral |commands= |unit= |battles= Lebanon War (Nov 1986 to June 1987) |awards= |other_work= }} Vice Admiral '''Mathew Quashie''' (23 March 1951 - 9 January 2020) was a Ghanaian naval officer and was the twenty-ninth Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.<ref name=HighStreet>{{cite web|title=Profile of Vice Admiral Mathew Quashie, Chief of Defence Staff|url=http://www.highstreetmail.com/political-news/profile-of-vice-admiral-mathew-quashie-chief-of-defence-staff.html|publisher=www.highstreetmail.com|accessdate=11 April 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215102725/http://www.highstreetmail.com/political-news/profile-of-vice-admiral-mathew-quashie-chief-of-defence-staff.html|archivedate=15 December 2013}}</ref> He also served as the Chief of Naval Staff of the Ghana Navy from 3 April 2009 to 28 March 2013.<ref name="GAF">{{cite web|last1=Past|first1=CNS|title=PAST CHIEF NAVY STAFFS|url=http://gafonline.mil.gh/past-cns/|website=gafonline.mil.gh|publisher=Ghana Armed Forces|accessdate=3 June 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013123027/http://gafonline.mil.gh/past-cns/|archivedate=13 October 2016}}</ref>
==Early life== Vice Admiral Quashie was born on 23 March 1951 in Accra. In 1970 he obtained his General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Certificate after a five-year secondary school education at Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast.<ref name=GHAWEB>{{cite web|title=Rear Admiral Matthew Quashie Profile|url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=1199|publisher=www.ghanaweb.com|accessdate=15 April 2013}}</ref> After Mfantsipim School, got admitted into the Ghana Secondary Technical School in Takoradi from 1970 to 1972. He was awarded his Advanced Level Certificate after completion.<ref name=Profile>{{cite web|title=Profile of Rear Admiral Matthew Quashie|url=http://www.gaf.mil.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50:profile-of-rear-admiral-matthew-quashie&catid=44:cns&Itemid=79|publisher=www.gaf.mil.gh|accessdate=15 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403081949/http://www.gaf.mil.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50:profile-of-rear-admiral-matthew-quashie&catid=44:cns&Itemid=79|archive-date=3 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Naval service== Vice Admiral Quashie enlisted into the Ghana Military Academy in 1972. He went to the United Kingdom to continue his basic military officer training. He enrolled at the Britannia Royal Naval College and completed his training in 1974. He returned to Ghana and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant into the Executive Branch of the Ghana Navy in July 1974.<ref name=Profile/>
===Naval appointments=== Vice Admiral Quashie has served the Navy in various capacities including: * Watch-Keeping Officer on the Ghana Navy Ships (GNS) Keta, Kromantse, Sahene and Achimota * Executive Officer on GNS Elmina and Dzata * Acting Executive Officer on GNS Kromantse. * Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of the Naval Staff. * Base Operations Officer, Naval Base Sekondi * Staff Officer Communication and Intelligence * Acting Training Officer, Naval Base Sekondi * Senior Officer Afloat and Commanding Officer Naval Base Sekondi.
He served in the several senior capacities prior to his appointment as the Chief of Staff. They included: * Director of Operations and Plans at the Naval Headquarters * Directing Staff at both the Ghana Armed Forces Command College and Nigeria Command and Staff College * Deputy Commandant Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College * Director Resettlement at General Headquarters (2003) and Chief Staff Officer, Naval Headquarters * Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command
===Combat operation=== During the 1980s Lebanon conflict, Vice Admiral Quashie was appointed Assistant Staff Officer of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.<ref name=GHAWEB/>
<gallery> File:US Navy 071120-N-8933S-015 Rear Adm. Tony Kurta, director for Policy, Resources and Strategy, United States Naval Forces Europe, and Ghanaian navy Commodore Matthew Quashie, Eastern Ghana Naval Command, meet with Africa Partner.jpg|With Rear Adm. Tony Kurta File:Medical Clinic in Tema ground-breaking 071120-N-8933S-132.jpg|With Rear Adm. Tony Kurta File:US Navy 071120-N-8933S-152 Builder 2nd Class Errol Browning, right, explains the plans of construction.jpg|Touring </gallery>
==Military appointment== On 28 March 2013, President John Dramani Mahama, Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, swore Vice Admiral Quashie into office as the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.<ref name=GRA>{{Cite news|title=New CDS appointed and service commanders|url=http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/new-cds-appointed-and-service-commanders.html|location=Accra, Ghana|accessdate=15 April 2013|newspaper=Daily Graphic}}</ref> He replaced Lt Gen. Peter Blay. Prior to his appointment, Vice Admiral Quarshie served as the Chief of Naval Staff. He handed over to Rear Admiral Geoffrey Mawuli Biekro.<ref name="Handing over"> {{cite web|title=Vice Admiral Mathew Quashie hands over office of CNS|url=http://www.gaf.mil.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=589:vice-admiral-mathew-quashie-hands-over-office-of-cns&catid=13:latest-news&Itemid=34|publisher=www.gaf.mil.gh|accessdate=15 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403075627/http://www.gaf.mil.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=589:vice-admiral-mathew-quashie-hands-over-office-of-cns&catid=13:latest-news&Itemid=34|archive-date=2015-04-03|url-status=dead}} </ref><ref name=handing>{{cite web|title=New CDS And Service Commanders Appointed|url=http://ghanareporters.com/2013/03/28/new-cds-and-service-commanders-appointed/|publisher=ghanareporters.com|accessdate=15 April 2013}}</ref>
==Death== On 9 January 2020, Quashie died at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, where he had been on admission for some time. He had reportedly not been well since he lost his wife in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=Former Chief of Defence Staff Quashie is dead |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Former-Chief-of-Defence-Staff-Quashie-is-dead-833992 |website=Ghanaweb |publisher=Ghana Web |accessdate=26 January 2020 |date=10 January 2020}}</ref>
{{commonscat}} ==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Rear Admiral A. R. S. Nunoo}} {{s-ttl|title=Chief of Naval Staff |years=2009 – 2013}} {{s-aft|after=Rear Admiral Geoffrey Mawuli Biekro}} {{s-bef|before=Lieutenant General Peter Blay}} {{s-ttl|title=Chief of Defence Staff |years=2013 – 2015}} {{s-aft|after=Michael Samson-Oje}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quashie, Matthew}} Category:Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Ghana) Category:Mfantsipim School alumni Category:1951 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Chiefs of Naval Staff (Ghana) Category:Ghana Secondary Technical School alumni