Ghanaian President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has commissioned five more boats to argument the Ghana Navy Fleet, and an oil spill response vessel for the Ghana Maritime Authority.
The president had commissioned four offshore security vessels for the Navy the last time he was at the Sekondi Naval Base in February 2022.
President Akufo-Addo reiterated the government’s commitment to retool and re-equip the Ghana Armed Forces to enable them to protect the country’s territorial waters.
He pledged to provide the Navy and other relevant agencies in the maritime sector with the necessary resources to guarantee the sustainable exploitation of the benefits the ocean offers.
The president also commended the team from the Ghana Navy for building Ghana’s first indigenous landing craft, called NAVDOCK 1.
The landing craft is designed to carry 30 personnel and one ton of cargo and measures 11.5 meters in length.
President Akufo-Addo described the effort as a manifestation of the ingenuity, determination, and can-do spirit of the Ghanaian people.
In addition to the boat commissioning, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Naval Shipyard are partnering with private actors to replace wooden canoes used for fishing with improved aluminum boats.
This move aims to help develop Ghana’s shipbuilding industry, create jobs for the youth while mitigating the environmental impact of wooden canoes.
As a developing country, President Akufo-Addo underscored the importance of industrialization, noting that it would determine how fast Ghana can advance economically and technologically.
He said the government would continue to support the Ghana Navy and other industries to achieve sustainable growth.
By Vincent Kubi