President John Mahama inspecting one of the commissioned vehicles
PRESIDENT JOHN Dramani Mahama has commissioned the phase one of a 2,000-unit military barracks and 50 fleet of vehicles at the Ghana Armed Forces West African Soldiers Social Activities (WASSA) 2025.
The commissioned vehicles include pickup trucks, buses, and Land Cruisers, aimed at improving operational readiness of the Armed Forces, while the 2,000-unit barracks project is intended to significantly improve accommodation and living conditions for officers and personnel of the Force.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Friday, January 23, President Mahama reaffirmed government’s commitment to adequately resource the Armed Forces to enable them effectively carry out their mandate.
“The commissioning of the fleet of pickup trucks, buses and Land Cruisers is to enhance mobility and operational efficiency of the Ghana Armed Forces. This is just the first phase of vehicles that the Armed Forces are to receive.
“Plans are also well advanced to procure armoured personal carriers, strategic drones and advanced communication systems to establish Ghana’s first state-of-the art cyber and electronic warfare centre in the northern sector,” he disclosed.
He added that the Ghana Armed Forces continue to play a vital role in international peacekeeping, indicating that even as global dynamics continue to evolve, the current financial and logistical challenges facing the United Nations have led to significant drawdown in peacekeeping operations worldwide.
President Mahama stated that the Ghana Armed Forces have played a pivotal role in supporting government’s decisive actions in areas such as the training and deployment of River Guards, the establishment of National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), and the creation of special courts to prosecute anti-illegal mining suspects.
“These measures underscore our collective determination to protect the environment and ensure that Ghana’s natural resources serve both present and future generations,” he said.
He announced salary increases effective March, plans for two new military units, and Ghana’s first cyber warfare centre at Tamale Air Force Base.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Major General William Agyapong, applauded the demonstrated commitment of government in retooling the Armed Forces to enhance operational effectiveness.
He mentioned that the Force is leveraging on its goodwill, expertise and strategic relations in embarking on productive projects such as poultry, crop farming as a means of supporting the service logistics challenges.
“We have undertaken a barracks regeneration strategy that will see the modernisation of Burma Camp housing units to high rise buildings to save more than half of the existing land space in Burma Camp. This project will begin with a self-help fundraising event in April this year, to see to the construction of 200 housing units at Burma Camp,” he mentioned.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke