The United States government has presented 84 pallets of assorted military equipment valued at $4 million to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The equipment, which is destined for three critical pillars of Ghana's defence establishment — the Ghana Army, the Ghana Navy, and intelligence services- is intended to enhance the capabilities of the GAF in the areas of border security, intelligence structure and training development, reconnaissance and maritime security.
The items are GPS devices, night vision goggles, unmanned aerial systems, radios and the spare parts necessary to keep that equipment mission-ready; medical equipment such as gloves, face shields, goggles and tourniquets that will save lives, whether in training exercises or in the field.
It also includes radar systems, radios, antennas and monitoring displays that would strengthen Ghana's ability to watch its waters — protecting fisheries, deterring piracy and illegal, unpermitted and unregulated fishing, and securing the maritime domain that is so vital to the country’s economy and security.
The Charge d’Affairs of the US Embassy in Ghana, Rolf Olson, handed over the equipment to the GAF on behalf of his government at a brief ceremony held at the 48 Engineers Regiment in Teshie, Accra.
The donation marked the second time within a space of a month that the US government was making a donation of equipment to the GAF.
Last month, the US government handed over three freightliners to the GAF. Bilateral relationship Mr Olson said the equipment donated was an investment in Ghana’s sovereignty, regional stability and the bilateral relationship between the two countries that spanned generations.
“Ghana has long been a model of democratic governance and security cooperation on this continent, and the United States is proud to stand with you. Security cooperation is never just about hardware. It is about countries coming together against shared threats, from transnational terrorism to maritime insecurity, and working side by side to build a safer West Africa.
“It is about the people that operate and maintain the hardware, and those that train them, and the people that lead them in their missions within Ghana and outside of its borders. It is also about the people that tend to the spiritual wellbeing of our armed forces,” he said.
He said the US government was proud of the decades-long partnership with Ghana, which was rooted in shared democratic values and a commitment that would benefit the people of both countries.
Operational readiness
The Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, who received the equipment, expressed the gratitude of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the GAF, John Dramani Mahama, for the generous and strategic gesture.
He said the equipment donated would significantly strengthen the operational readiness of GAF, adding that it would not only bolster their intelligence gathering efforts but also equip their troops and enhance training for the protection of the country’s borders and maritime assets.
“It will increase the effectiveness of our counter-terrorism and internal security operations. These assets are not solely for national defence but also serve as instruments of regional peace and global solidarity,” he added.
The Deputy Chief of Staff, Policy and Plans of the GAF, Major General VanderPallen; senior officers, officers, soldiers and defence civilian staff of the GAF, as well as some members of the US military, were present at the ceremony.
