By Seraphine Nyuiemedi
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia E. Palmer, has reiterated the United States’ commitment to supporting the Ghana Armed Forces in diverse ways in order to equip them for effective delivery.
She said the U.S. intends to invest $48 million in the Force this year through equipment, training, and technical support. This, she said, includes supporting Ghana as host for FLINTLOCK 23, which involves 29 nations militaries.
Miss Palmer was speaking at the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) at Nutekpor in the South Torgu District of the Volta Region when the U.S. and Danish governments donated some equipment and facilities to the Special Boat Squadron and the Navy Command.
The equipment and facilities worth $6.4 million include two 38ft Defender Class Safe Boats, a U.S. Marine Forces Africa SBS equipping kit, replacement of the NAVTRAC pontoon pier, and the construction of the Ghana Navy Special Boat Squadron (SBS) mobile training camp, among others.
The two Defender-class safe boats are named after the immediate Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Kofi Faidoo, and his successor, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia E. Palmer, said in a move to help Ghana fight piracy and improve maritime security, the United States has provided two 87ft patrol ships, which will be commissioned in no time. She believes the ships will help the Ghana Navy patrol on the high seas to prevent piracy as well as illegal fishing.
“We know that security threats don’t just come from the Sahel. Piracy and illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea pose a persistent threat to Ghana’s prosperity. A safe and secure Gulf of Guinea means prosperity for the entire region. That’s why, just over two years ago, we partnered with the Ghana Navy to combat and prevent piracy in the Gulf,” she said.
On behalf of the Ghana Navy, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, expressed his profound gratitude to the U.S. and Danish governments for their contributions towards the development of the SBS and the Ghana Navy as a whole.
He said the support forms part of a 5-year trilateral agreement started in 2022, which aims to develop the SBS into a Tier 1 special operations Force by 2026. He indicated that the assembled, fabricated camp donated by the Danish government will serve as a vital operational base for the SBS to effectively plan and execute its missions.
For his part, the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tom Norring, lauded the collaborative efforts by the three governments towards the project, saying it has so far been successful. Mr Norring, who called for continuous capacity building within the maritime sector, urged the Ghana Navy to remain focused with regard to the project.
“I would like to reiterate the importance of continued strengthening of capacities within the maritime domain and to keep aiming for enhanced education,” he said.
A sod was cut for the construction of a vehicle maintenance facility, T-pier and a Boat storage facility. The team later inaugurated a 3-unit classroom block constructed by the U.S. government at the Nutekpor D/A Basic School.