Kofi Ampeah Woode
Ghana’s Defence Minister – Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, on behalf of Mr Ibrahim Mahama – entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), DZATA CEMENT, has presented huge quantities of foodstuffs to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), to help the military boost its troops’ morale and meet some of their essential needs.
The foodstuffs, presented to the Military High Command (MHC) at the Base Supply Depot (BSD), Burma Camp, Accra, on Thursday 27 March 2025, entailed 5,000 5Kg bags of rice, 6,255 bottles of cooking oil, 4,800 tins of canned mackerel, and 4,800 tins of canned tomato puree.
Minister Omane Boamah revealed that, upon assumption of office, his tour of GAF’s General Headquarters (GHQ), the 37 and Afari Military Hospitals, together with briefings and interactions with personnel, brought to the fore three key challenges, among many others; 1) medical, 2) accommodation, and 3) feeding.
On the issue of feeding, he further revealed that GAF food suppliers are owed Two Hundred and Seventy-Five Million Cedis (Ȼ275 Million) – a debt that has built up from August 2023 to December 2024, leading to concerns about the sustenance for military personnel, with food suppliers threatening to halt service.
Inadequate food rations could interfere with the duties of some military personnel serving on internal security operations, in some volatile locations, and other duties in respect of national security, Dr EK Omane Boamah noted.
He thus outlined a 3-pronged approach to deal with the feeding issue; firstly, he has met with food suppliers, stakeholders and key appointment holders within his Ministry, and secured foodstuffs for troops, as an interim measure;
Secondly, together with the Ministry of Finance, the Defence Ministry is putting in place measures to settle current bills, while clearing the outstanding debts over time; and thirdly, he is developing long-term strategies to ensure sustainability, for a stable food supply, and prevent future disruptions.
To ensure that Ghana’s military fully harnesses its significant potential to contribute to agricultural development in the nation, the Defence Minister said GAF is to leverage on its disciplined workforce and strategic land holdings, to enhance food security in the country, in partnership with the private sector.
“With this strategy, we intend to endlessly roll out mechanized agriculture to produce what we eat, feed ourselves, and contribute to managing food inflation and reducing the food bill on government”, the Minister said, with the Defence Industries Holdings Company (DIHOC) playing a critical role in the third strategy.
Present at the donation included the Chief of the Defence Staff, GAF – Major General (Maj Gen) William Agyapong; Chief of the Army Staff, Ghana Army – Maj Gen Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu; Chief of the Naval Staff, Ghana Navy – Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing; Chief of the Air Staff, Ghana Air Force – Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Eric Agyen-Frempong; and Chief of Staff, GHQ – AVM Joshua Lartei Mensah-Larkai.
Others included Generals, Senior Officers, Officers, Chief Warrant Officer Addo Daniel; Service Sergeant Majors, Regimental Sergeant Majors, Soldiers and Defence Civilian Staff.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
