The Ghana Navy has acquired four new Navy fighter ships to boost efforts at making Ghana’s maritime space safer and unattractive to pirates and other illegal activities.
The vessels, which will be operated by Naval captains with international ratings, are equipped with the needed logistics to protect national installations and also deter and make Ghana’s adjoining coast safer.
The lack of such a fleet had compelled oil companies to hire private boats to provide security for their offshore oil and gas installations.
Speaking to Daily Graphic, a source at the Ministry of Defence said the new vessels would be allowed to protect offshore oil and gas activities in the country.
It described the current arrangement where oil companies hired civilian commercial boats flying their countries’ flags, with state-armed guards, as unfortunate and claimed with the acquisition of the new vessels, the practice would now become a thing of the past.
There have been growing piracy and other criminal activities in the Gulf of Guinea in recent times.
As a deterrent measure, the Ghana Navy has been carrying out maritime exercises to demonstrate its resolve to deal with issues of piracy, illegal fishing, smuggling and other criminal activities in Ghana’s territorial waters.
Per reports, the vessels will be ushered into the Home Port of the Western Naval Command after the offload, where the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will name and commission them to begin service.
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