Air Force Gets 3 Planes

President John Mahama, on Friday, commissioned two hangars, a simulator, three Maritime Diamond DA42 surveillance aircraft at the Takoradi Air Force base to enhance the operations of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The construction of the hangars, christened “AVM Achiles Harry Kwame Dumashie Hangar” and “AVM Richard Yawovi Ashle-Lassen Hangar” was in collaboration with the governments of Ghana and China and the facility would house aircraft and serve as a place of maintenance for planes in Ghana and the West African sub-region.

The hangars were constructed by the Poly Group of China.

The President urged the military to regularly maintain the facilities to ensure a longer lifespan and to serve future generations of the Ghana Armed Forces.

President Mahama noted that government would also acquire four new helicopters for the military by the end of the year to enable them to carry out their domestic duties in the years ahead.

President Mahama said apart from the facilities, government would continue to provide all the necessary logistics that would enable the Ghana Armed Forces to exhibit their best in the coming years.

The president indicated that his administration would continue to resource the security services to enhance the performance of their duties.

President Mahama said the government would equip the Air Force and the Navy to enable them to secure the country’s airspace and protect the territorial waters of the country from pirates and other criminal activities.

“I was appalled at the state of our forces when I received my first briefing by President Mills of blessed memory. Over the last four years, we have undertaken perhaps the largest re-equipping of the Armed Forces in the history of Ghana.

“The navy has received seven new vessels, two of which we are going to commission today, the Air Force has received two strategic lift aircraft, two surveillance aircraft and one trainer aircraft, they have received two new hangars and are due to receive four new helicopters by the end of the year.”

President Mahama was very hopeful that resourcing the security agencies would enhance peace, stability and the development of the country.

Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith, Minister of Defence, gave the assurance that the Ghana Armed Forces would make maximum use of the facility to step up their performance both in the country and beyond.

He promised that government would provide more equipment to the Ghana Armed Forces to beef up their performance and called for collaboration from the civilian community to ensure successful performance of the military in the country.

Mr Song Lin, President of the China Poly Group, said the projects would further deepen the cordial relations between Ghana and China.

In related development, the president has also commissioned two warrior class ships of the Ghana Navy at the Sekondi Naval Base.

The ships, “Yaa Asantewaa” and “Naa Gbewaa,” are ex-German fast patrol boats acquired by the government of Ghana as second hand and retrofitted in Germany under the Ghana Navy’s supervision.