President Akufo-Addo has made it clear that his government is committed to retooling and re-equipping the Ghana Armed Forces to enable them perform their duty of protecting the territorial integrity of Ghana.
He indicated that the government’s retooling of the security services, including the Ghana Navy, has yielded positive results as Ghana has not recorded any kidnapping or attack on ships in the last two years.
He said, “This is a significant achievement considering the fact that the country has experienced several attacks on ships including the kidnapping of nine crew members from a Ghanaian fishing vessel in 2021.”
“The government will continue to retool the Navy and other relevant agencies in the maritime sector to guarantee a sustainable exploration of the benefits of the country’s territorial waters,” he pointed out.
The President stated this when he commissioned an oil spillage response ship for the Ghana Maritime Authority and two new security ships for the Ghana Navy at the Sekondi Naval Base on Saturday.
The boundary class Navy ships christened, Ghana Navy Ship (GNS) Half Assini and GNS Aflao which were provided by the United States (US) government will help improve maritime security in Ghana’s waters and the Gulf of Guinea.
The President noted that the 86-foot ships will help the Ghana Navy increase patrols and help prevent pirates, traffickers, and other criminals from using the sea for their illegal activities.
“This will make Ghana and the sub-region not only safer but more prosperous,” he stated.
The President mentioned that the acquisition of the vessels “is yet a further manifestation of the commitment of Government to equip the Ghana Armed Forces to enable them to perform their duties.”
He said, “I am aware of the enormous responsibilities of the Navy to see to it that the maritime spaces in Ghana and in the sub-region are safe and secured.”
“I can assure you that despite the financial difficulties the government will continue to equip the Navy with the requisite tools to always be in readiness to execute its mandate,” he stressed.
The President thanked the US government for the support and revealed that the Government of Ghana also spent $2 million each on the two ships for the purpose of refurbishment and retooling.
The Minister for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, revealed that under the country’s 4th Republic, the current government has invested more in the Ghana Navy than the previous governments.
“And it is not only the Navy but the Ghana Armed Forces in general. Mr. President, I believed that the investment will not stop until you hand over as the president of this country,” he noted.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, revealed that the number of vessels commissioned by the current government to the Navy in the last two years is unprecedented.
He then called on personnel of the security services to remain loyal to country’s constitution and focus on their constitutionally mandated roles.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, noted that her country strongly supports Ghana’s leading role in regional security and peacekeeping.
She said maritime security was critical to Ghana’s sovereignty and prosperity, and that piracy and illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea were a persistent menace, threatening the livelihoods and traditions of Ghana’s fishing industry.
She was therefore hopeful the vessels would aid the Navy in their patrols to help curb the menace.
“The boats are the latest in our long-standing support for the Ghana Navy, including training, technical assistance, and naval infrastructure projects,” she pointed out.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Sekondi