Kofi Ampeah Woode
To attain set priority objective of Enhanced Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), the Ghana Navy’s acquisition of the River and Boundary Class Ships, and the constant presence at sea, have resulted in over 20,000 hours presence at sea, with at least 2 ships at sea everyday every time with robust sea patrols, from a previous average of about 1000 hours.
Rear Admiral (R/Adm) Issah Adam Yakubu – Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) remarked in his address at the State of the Ghana Navy (GN) presentation at the 2024 CNS Annual Conference held on Thursday 22 February 2024, at the Navy Headquarters (NHQ), Burma Camp, Accra.
He asserted that that was amply demonstrated when some ships tried to sneak into Ghana’s maritime domain to carry out some suspected nefarious activities, and were promptly located, and necessary responses taken; in addition to numerous occasions when the GN had to scramble the ships at the oilfields, in response to incidents at sea.
In addition to the unprecedented record of 20,000 hours at Sea, GN has implemented another priority objective of Enhanced Maritime Air Patrols, in collaboration with the Ghana Air Force (in supporting the GN Special Boat Squadron – SBS), and with the use of drones.
The Navy intends to acquire some more of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), with the CNS directing Deputy Chief Staff Officer, Naval Policy and Plans, to come up with concepts of operations for the use of drones, and to identify suitable UAVs for possible acquisition, in 2024.
The Navy has additionally developed the capabilities of its Naval Intelligence (NI) Department, roping in experienced Officers from the GAF General Headquarters (GHQ) Defence Intelligence (DI), to head the NI, which is now in charge of the Maritime Operations Centres (MOCs), to help them collect information for processing, from the surveillance systems.
On the modernization of the fleet of GN, Admiral Yakubu said that was a second strategic objective, as his predecessors had done a lot in the area of infrastructural development, his Administration decided to commit to increasing the size of the fleet and modernize the existing ones, since no new major ships had been commissioned into the fleet for 10 years, and the state of the fleet was less than satisfactory.
Through the Government and GN’s innovative ways, four (4) of the 40-metre Offshore Security Vessels (River Class) – are fitted with Internet facilities (first time in GN) and one with DSTV – were first acquired, and are performing exceptionally in Operation SEAGUARD, and other operations.
In addition to the Internet facilities and DSTV services, all the ships are also being fitted with state-of-the-art gymnasium equipment, due to their extended deployment and need for crew comfort, and contact with families back home.
Thus from 2022 to 2023, the GN has commissioned six (6) Ghana Navy Ships (GNS).
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
