In terms of manpower expansion, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has revealed that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has recruited and trained some three thousand (3,000) soldiers between 2017 and 2020.
The Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces said this while speaking at the Military Academy Graduation parade for Regular Career Course 61, on Friday, 12th August 2022.
“It has, since 2021, embarked on accelerated nationwide recruitment and training to churn out a minimum of four thousand (4,000) officers and soldiers annually until 2024, in order to beef up the strength of our Armed Forces to optimal levels. Thus, a minimum of two thousand (2,000) recruits are trained in recruit training schools of the three (3) Services every six months, whilst the strength of officer cadets enlisted in recent times has been increased exponentially since 2020,” the President said.
He continued, “In addition to the construction of the eight hundred and thirty-two (832) accommodation units for the Armed Forces, initiated under the Military Housing Phase One Project in July 2019, which are currently at various levels of completion, I cut the sod a few months ago for the Military Housing Phase 2 Project, which will add three hundred and twenty (320) additional units to the Phase 1 accommodation units.”
President Akufo-Addo noted that there is massive infrastructure development in the vicinity of the Burma Camp Military Cemetery to provide warehouses, offices and barracks accommodation for Base Ordnance Depot, the School of Ordnance, the Armed Forces Central Band and the Armed Forces Music School.
To enhance the operational capability, combat efficiency and logistics capacity of the Armed Forces, the President noted that measures have been put in place in furtherance of restructuring and retooling.
“To this end, additional bases, specialised units and brigades have been created, with the acquisition of requisite equipment, to enhance operations, particularly along our northern frontiers. As you are aware, this expansion has already seen the creation and establishment of the Army Special Operations Brigade, Armoured Brigade, Signal Brigade, and two (2) Mechanised Battalions, which are deployed in the Upper West and Upper East Regions,” the President said.
He noted that construction and equipping of fifteen (15) Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) across our northern frontiers for the Armed Forces for the Northern Border Project are on track. These FOBs include FOB Dollar Power, FOB Hamile, FOB Tumu, FOB Navrongo, FOBBawku, FOB Nalerigu, FOB Bunkpurugu, FOB Saboba, FOB Bimbilla, FOB Damongo, FOB Bole, FOB Jirapa, Forward Logistics Base at Wa, Forward Logistics Base at Bolgatanga and Main Logistics Base at Tamale.
In addition to this, President Akufo-Addo indicated that a number of combat vehicles, equipment and weaponry, comprising about one hundred and sixty-three (163) Armoured Personnel Carriers and other combat vehicles, trucks and general vehicles, surveillance and communication equipment, including an optical and critical mass of night vision equipment, as well as weapons, ammunitions and body armour, have been acquired to enhance intelligence acquisition, offer better protection, improve mobility and firepower for troops on internal security operations, including those deployed to our northern frontiers as well as international peace support operations.
To the navy, President Akufo-Addo noted that Government has purchased Offshore Patrol Vessels and Fast Patrol Boats to enhance counter piracy and other maritime threat operations, and to protect the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“Towards enhancing the capability of the Navy, I recently commissioned four (4) fast patrol boats, named VOLTA, PRA, ANKOBRA and DENSU, to protect our maritime resources, especially our offshore Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facilities,” he added.
