Government determined to protect Ghana’s territorial integrity – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians and all stakeholders that the government is determined to protect the territorial integrity of the nation.

“Our country and the sub-region currently faces a two-prong threat from violent extremism from the Sahel region which is fast moving southwards towards our northern borders and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea located on our southern borders.

“These threats demand enhanced collaboration of all security actors within the region. Government is determined to do everything within its power to guarantee the nation’s territorial integrity and ensure the safety of Ghanaians. That is why I have charged the highly respected Chief of Defense Staff to work with his counterparts in the region to develop possible course of actions against terrorism, violent extremism,” he said at the commissioning of four 40-meter river class patrol boats for the Ghana Navy at the Western Naval Command in Sekondi in the Western Region.

The vessels are GNS Volta-P40, GNS Densu-P41, GNS Pra-P42 and GNS Ankobra-P3.

As part of government’s effort to provide effective security to the offshore oil and gas infrastructure, approval was granted by the Ministry of Defense and the Ghana Navy to enter a lease agreement with Israel Shipyard Limited for the lease of four aluminium offshore security vessels.

The vessels are to replace previous arrangements of using private vessels manned by naval personnel in providing security and support to oil and gas activities in the country’s maritime domain.

President Akufo-Addo also lamented the state of insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.

He noted that this is threatening the country’s economic growth while also denting the image of coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea and said the investment made for the Ghana Navy is in order.

“The high dependence of the nation’s economy on offshore resources, as well as the enormous potentials of the maritime sector to contribute to our food security and employment generation, makes provision of effective maritime security very imperative. Therefore the Ghana Navy … deserves all the support it needs”