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The Ghanaian Armed Forces have been retooled and re-equipped, according to President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, since his administration took office in 2017. This has allowed the Force to fulfill its responsibility of defending the nation’s territorial integrity.
According to President Akufo-Addo, dealing with security challenges cannot continue as usual in light of the current, developing, and future dangers in West Africa.
“In order to address these dangers, the government has approved the enlargement of the armed forces.
In accordance with the threat assessments, the procurement of the necessary equipment, logistics, infrastructure development, and growth in manpower, the strategic expansion and modernization of the Armed Forces are actively pursued, he said.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says his government, since assuming office in 2017, has been delivering on its pledge to retool and re-equip the Ghana Armed Forces, hence helping the Force to realise its mandate of safeguarding the territorial integrity of the nation.
According to President Akufo-Addo, dealing with security challenges cannot continue as usual in light of the current, developing, and future dangers in West Africa.
“In order to address these dangers, the government has approved the enlargement of the armed forces.
In accordance with the threat assessments, the procurement of the necessary equipment, logistics, infrastructure development, and growth in manpower, the strategic expansion and modernization of the Armed Forces are actively pursued, he said.
The three-story, 246-room officer cadets’ hostel, the two-bedroom, 16-apartment officer housing for platoon commanders, the two-bedroom, 4-apartment half compound for senior non-commissioned instructors, and the boundary fence wall are all practically finished. By the end of this month, fittings will be installed, painting will be done, external work and landscaping will be finished, and the water and electricity connections will be made.
President Akufo-Addo stated that between 2017 and 2020, the Armed Forces recruited and trained about three thousand (3,000) new soldiers.
“It has, since 2021, embarked on accelerated nationwide recruitment and training to churn out a minimum of four thousand (4,000) officers and soldiers annually until 2024, in order to beef up the strength of our Armed Forces to optimal levels. Thus, a minimum of two thousand (2,000) recruits are trained in recruit training schools of the three (3) Services every six months, whilst the strength of officer cadets enlisted in recent times has been increased exponentially since 2020,” the President stated.
He added, “In addition to the construction of the eight hundred and thirty-two (832) accommodation units for the Armed Forces, initiated under the Military Housing Phase One Project in July 2019, which are currently at various levels of completion, I cut the sod a few months ago for the Military Housing Phase 2 Project, which will add three hundred and twenty (320) additional units to the Phase 1 accommodation units.”
In order to accommodate the Base Ordnance Depot, the School of Ordnance, the Armed Forces Central Band, and the Armed Forces Music School, warehouses, offices, and barracks are being built beside the Burma Camp Military Cemetery, as highlighted by President Akufo-Addo.
The President observed that steps had been taken to advance restructuring and retooling in order to improve the operational capability, combat effectiveness, and logistical capacity of the Armed Forces.
“To this end, additional bases, specialised units and brigades have been created, with the acquisition of requisite equipment, to enhance operations particularly along our northern frontiers. As you are aware, this expansion has already seen the creation and establishment of the Army Special Operations Brigade, Armoured Brigade, Signal Brigade, and two (2) Mechanised Battalions, which are deployed in the Upper West and Upper East Regions,” the President said.
He noted that construction and equipping of fifteen (15) Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) across our northern frontiers for the Armed Forces for the Northern Border Project are on track. These FOBs include FOB Dollar Power, FOB Hamile, FOB Tumu, FOB Navrongo, FOBBawku, FOB Nalerigu, FOB Bunkpurugu, FOB Saboba, FOB Bimbilla, FOB Damongo, FOB Bole, FOB Jirapa, Forward Logistics Base at Wa, Forward Logistics Base at Bolgatanga and Main Logistics Base at Tamale.
In addition to this, President Akufo-Addo indicated that a number of combat vehicles, equipment and weaponry, comprising about one hundred and sixty three (163) Armoured Personnel Carriers and other combat vehicles, trucks and general vehicles, surveillance and communication equipment, including optical and critical mass of night vision equipment, as well as weapons, ammunitions and body armour, have been acquired to enhance intelligence acquisition, offer better protection, improve mobility and fire power for troops on internal security operations, including those deployed to our northern frontiers as well as international peace support operations.
To the navy, President Akufo-Addo noted that Government has purchased Offshore Patrol Vessels and Fast Patrol Boats to enhance counter piracy and other maritime threat operations, and protect the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“Towards enhancing the capability of the Navy, I recently commissioned four (4) fast patrol boats, named VOLTA, PRA, ANKOBRA and DENSU, to protect our maritime resources, especially our offshore Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facilities,” he added.
In the same vein, President Akufo-Addo noted that plans are in the offing to procure, for the Air Force, six (6) L-39 Ground Fighter Aircrafts, two (2) additional Ground Power Units, assorted aircrafts comprising Casa C2A5 Maritime Patrol Aircrafts, Mi-71SH Military Airlift Helicopters, VIP Transport Helicopters (H-225) and four (4) H-125 Reconnaissance Light Attack helicopters, to support the operations of the Special Forces.
Reiterating Government’s commitment to improve the healthcare and medical delivery capacity of the Armed Forces, he indicated that the 37 Military Hospital, which also serves as the National Disaster Management Hospital, has been prioritised for massive retooling, prior to the commencement of the next phase of the 37 Military Hospital expansion project.
Similarly, the five hundred-bed military hospital at Afari, in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region, will be ready for inauguration by December of this year.
“The expansion and upgrade of medical reception stations in all the Garrisons to District Hospital status are also on course. I want to add, furthermore, that adequate provisions have been made for other sister security services, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Immigration Service, to receive new healthcare equipment for their smooth operations,” the President added.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
