The President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, presented operational vehicles to the GAF at Burma Camp.
The vehicles comprised 40 Jeeps, 6 Toyota Hiace minibuses and 14 Toyota Hilux Pickups. This was to complement GAF’s vehicle inventory with modern equipment to help contain security threats posed by extremist groups operating along the northern borders of the country.
In a related development, the President inspected the ongoing construction of the 7-storey Army Headquarters Office Complex. He said, “the project is costing the tax payer about GH¢ 33 million. Undoubtedly, this will boost the morale and image of the Army since the Navy and Air Force already have very beautiful headquarters office complexes”.
His Excellency, the President, thereafter cut sod for the commencement of work on a 24.8 million US dollar housing project for troops. The project consists of 40 half compound houses at Burma Camp, 10 each at the Naval Base, Sekondi, Air Force Base, Tamale, 4 Infantry Battalion, Kumasi and 3 Infantry Battalion, Sunyani. In all, a total of 320 units will be added to the housing stock of the GAF.
The President said, “as the C-in-C of the GAF, I am fully aware that our economic development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and security. This will come at a cost, and against other competing demands. This notwithstanding, we continue to make efforts to meet the logistics and housing needs of the GAF”. He also inspected progress of work at the Ghana Military Academy project site and expressed satisfaction at the work done.
In his concluding remarks, the C-in-C urged the GAF to pay particular attention to the maintenance of the vehicles presented and use them for their intended purposes.
The Minister for Defence, Hon Dominic Nitiwul, stated that the GAF has benefited under the current government through various interventions to re-equip the force to enable it carry out its mandate.
Hon Nitiwul said combating security threats requires real time surveillance capabilities, high mobility, force protection, firepower and communication. He added that the GAF will properly maintain and use these vehicles to achieve the purpose for which they were procured.