Kofi Ampeah Woode
Ghana Navy (GN) has commenced its 2023 version of the Chief of the Naval Staff’s (CNS) Annual Conference to afford the platform for its crème de la crème to brainstorm and formulate critical policies for development.
The conference, which is a significant event on GN’s annual calendar, kicked off at the Naval Headquarters, Burma Camp, Accra, from Thursday 23 to end on Friday 24 February, 2023, under the theme ‘Strengthening Leadership Towards Accomplishing Agenda 2024’, with a call by the CNS – Rear Admiral (R/Adm) Issah Adam Yakubu for leadership with innovation through flexibility, and consolidation of achievements.
Delivering his opening address which focused largely on triumphs of GN in 2022, and lingering in the arena of innovation, the CNS cited a number of successes chalked at the Headquarters and various Command levels, notwithstanding the resource draught the marine Force was fraught with.
To an audience of Commodores, Naval Captains and Commanders, Admiral Yakubu said that as Ghana undergoes difficulties as all other countries, GN has not been spared. He however insisted that in times of crises, leadership and innovation are critical, with the need for flexibility in priorities.
The period under review saw GN, thinking outside the box to acquire four (4) brand new River Class Boats, at no cost to Government, at a time when the Service virtually had zero ships – given the state of ships. GN also saw the completion of the construction by its own staff, of a classy Seaboat for its Snake Class, in partnership with a private entity, Admiral Yakubu said.
Under a Public Private Partnership worth One Hundred Million USD, GN joined energies with CTA Development to construct 2000 accommodation units for its personnel.
Making use of abandoned engines, propellors and other parts that were wasting around his Naval Base, Commodore (Cdre) Emmanuel Wayoe and his staff, also constructed a landing craft capable of carrying a pickup truck, the Admiral admirably averred.
He also cited for commendation Naval Captain (Capt GN) Dennis Kofi Andorfo Eghan – Director Naval Training (DNT), Director Special Operations, and GN’s Liaison to the Royal Danish Special Operations Command; for working expressly to get the Danes to release their accumulated equipment to GN, after their decision to truncate participation in the Mission in Mali. Those equipment have eventually been used to extend the capacity of GN’s Special Boat Squadron (SBS) to a high standard.
In 2022, GN installed a landmark comprehensive administrative mechanism – the Integrated Management System – paperless system, through the ingenuity, dedication and competence of an Army Officer – Captain David Kabu. It could have cost a fortune, if a vendor had been contracted to install the IMS, which enables smooth administration of the Navy, regardless of location.
GN’s handball team, won Ghana’s 2022 National Handball League, through the instrumentation of Cdre Emmanuel Ayesu Kwafo and Cdre Maxwell Arhen – Flag Officers Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command (WNC) and Eastern Naval Command (ENC), respectively. The CNS thus, directed that more support be given to the sports teams, particularly the Dolphins, with a strategic plan to win more laurels.
Chief Petty Officer Class 1 (CPO 1) Smith from WNC, who has been producing documentaries of most activities of GN out of his own resources for over a decade, was highly mentioned and recommended for further commendation by the CNS.
Ghana Government, on a larger scale is adding to the accommodation stock at the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) and WNC, with much of GN’s share of the Government’s retooling program for GAF, still in the pipeline.
On the operational front, GN has been deeply engaged in Diving Operations (although it lost a diver in 2022), the divers have been deep down under, providing very clear videos – as good a quality as one can get anywhere. Several arrests have been made of ships for illegal activities, in the West, East, and NAVTRAC, even in the face of dwindling resources.
The River Class have been involved in prolonged deployments of 3 to 4 weeks at sea, sometimes without contact with their families, and are cut off from the world, in the execution of their duties. There have been numerous inland detachments, such as the Volta Lake Detachment, and with Operations Motherland and HALT II.
There have been SBS trainings, such as the selection processes, and training for the Basic Course and the Intermediate Courses. Ghana Navy also conducts Surveillance Coverage of Ghana’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and is now a member of the International Maritime Traffic Network.
Under CNS R/Adm Yakubu, GN has operated with the mission statement: “to develop and deploy maritime forces with the capability to ensure a safe, secure and clean maritime domain of Ghana in collaboration with other stakeholders, in order to ensure a sustainable use of the maritime domain.”
The Navy also has a vision to maintain a modern robust Naval Force capable of defending Ghana against seaborne threats and ensuring the safety and security of the maritime domain for the development of the blue economy while maintaining the time-tested traditions of the Navy.
Six Strategic Priorities (Agenda 2024) set in 2020, to deal with current maritime security challenges confronting Ghana are: 1) Total Surveillance Coverage of Ghana’s EEZ, 2) Modernise the Fleet, 3) Upgrading current training facilities and developing more, 4) Leveraging on Technology to Enhance Operations and Administrative Functions, 5) Collaboration with international partners and local stakeholders, and 6) Enhance the welfare of personnel.
The CNS’ Annual Conference ’23 will review set goals under Agenda 2024 4-year program, what has been achieved and goals remaining.
Present at the Conference included the FOC WNC, FOC ENC, FOC NAVTRAC, FOC NAVLOG, Chief Staff Officer (CSO), Flag Officer Fleet (FOF), FOC RIVERINE COMMAND, Deputy Chief Staff Officers (DCSOs), Directors from the Naval Headquarters, Senior Officers, Master Coxswain of GN.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
