The President of the Republic, Nana Addo, Dankwa Akufa-Addo, says his government has since assumed office in 2017 fulfilled its promise to re-equip and re-equip the Ghana Armed Forces, thereby helping the Force fulfill its mandate to protect the nation’s territorial integrity.
According to President Akufo-Addo, given the current, emerging and future threats in West Africa, addressing security issues cannot be business as usual.
“Therefore, the government has approved the expansion of the Armed Forces to deal with these threats. The strategic expansion and modernization of the Armed Forces is being intensively carried out in accordance with the analysis of threats and the acquisition of the necessary equipment, logistics, infrastructure development and increasing the number of personnel,” he said.
Speaking on Friday, August 12, 2022, at the graduation ceremony of the Military Academy for the Regular Career Course 61, President Akufa-Addo noted that the government is renovating and modernizing the Ghana Military Academy to bring it at par with other reputable military academies around the world.
He noted that the first stage of the construction of the Military Academy is almost completed, the officer’s cadet desk, the main square of the Academy, a two-story educational building with three hundred and twenty seats, and a luxurious rector’s building have been renovated. also completed.
Indeed, a three-storey 246-room dormitory for officer cadets, a two-room sixteen-apartment officer’s accommodation for platoon commanders, a two-room four-apartment semi-complex for senior non-instructors, and the boundary wall of the fence is almost complete, installation of fittings, painting, external works / landscaping and water and electricity connection, expected to be completed by the end of this month.
In terms of manpower expansion, President Akufa-Addo noted that the armed forces recruited and trained about three thousand (3,000) soldiers between 2017 and 2020.
“From 2021, he has embarked on accelerated nationwide recruitment and training to produce at least four thousand (4,000) officers and soldiers annually by 2024 to increase the strength of our Armed Forces to optimal levels. Thus, at least two thousand (2,000) recruits are trained every six months in the draft schools of the three (3) services, and from 2020, the number of officer cadets accepted for service will increase exponentially,” the president said.
He continued: “In addition to the construction of eight hundred and thirty-two (832) units for the Armed Forces, which began under Phase One of the Military Housing Project in July 2019, which are currently at various stages of completion, I cut the sod a few months ago for of the Phase 2 military housing project, which will add three hundred twenty (320) additional units to the Phase 1 housing units.”
President Akufa-Addo noted that in the immediate vicinity of the Burma War Cemetery, extensive infrastructure development is underway to accommodate warehouses, offices and barracks for the Base Ammunition Depot, Ordnance School, Armed Forces Central Band and the Armed Forces Music School.
In order to increase the combat capability, combat capability and logistics of the Armed Forces, the President noted that further restructuring and rearmament activities are being implemented.
“For this purpose, additional bases, specialized units and brigades were created with the acquisition of the necessary equipment to strengthen operations, especially along our northern borders. As you know, under this expansion, the Army’s Special Operations Brigades, Armored Brigade, Communications Brigade and two (2) mechanized battalions have already been established and deployed in the Upper West and Upper East Regions,” the President stated. said.
He noted that the construction and equipment of fifteen (15) Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) on our northern frontiers for the Armed Forces for the Northern Border project is on schedule. 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 the main logistics base in Tamale.
In addition to this, President Akufa-Addo noted that a number of combat vehicles, equipment and weapons, including about one hundred and sixty three (163) armored personnel carriers and other combat vehicles, trucks and general vehicles, surveillance and communication equipment, including optical and critical mass night vision equipment, as well as weapons, ammunition and body armor were procured to improve intelligence acquisition, provide better protection, improve mobility and firepower for troops engaged in homeland security operations, including those on our northern borders. as well as international peace support operations.
On the navy, President Akufa-Addo noted that the government has acquired maritime patrol vessels and high-speed patrol boats to strengthen the fight against piracy and other threats at sea, as well as to protect the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“To enhance the capabilities of the Navy, I have recently commissioned four (4) high speed patrol boats named VOLTA, PRA, ANKOBRA and DENSU to protect our maritime resources, especially our Offshore Floating Product Storage and Offloading (FPSO),” he added .
In the same vein, President Akufa-Addo noted that the Air Force plans to acquire six (6) L-39 land-based fighters, two (2) additional land-based power units, various aircraft including the Casa C2A5 Maritime in the near future. Patrol aircraft, Mi-71Sh military helicopters, VIP transport helicopters (H-225) and four (4) H-125 reconnaissance light attack helicopters to support special forces operations.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to improve the medical care and medical capabilities of the Armed Forces, he noted that the 37th Military Hospital, which is also the National Disaster Relief Hospital, has been prioritized for a major refit ahead of the next phase of the 37th Military Hospital Expansion Project. .
Similarly, the five hundred bed military hospital at Afara in the Atwima-Nwabia area of the Ashanti region will be ready for grand opening by December this year.
“Work is also underway to expand and modernize reception points in all garrisons before transfer to the district hospital. I would also like to add that other related security services, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service and Ghana Immigration Service, are in place to procure new medical equipment for smooth operations,” the President added. .
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the Presidency of the Republic of Ghana.
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