US ASSISTS GHANA NAVY WITH SPEED BOATS (SPREAD, MARCH 15, 2010)

THE United States Government has handed over four speed boats and their spare parts to the Ghana Navy in Sekondi.
The boats are to be used by the navy to monitor, detect, deter and prevent criminal activities in the country’s territorial waters.
They form part of seven boats promised by the US Government to Ghana under its Africa Partnership Station (APS), at a total cost of $2.7million the first three having been presented to the Ghana Navy in 2008.
The boats have been named after Commodore Quaye, Rear Admiral Tom Annan, Vice Admiral Owusu Ansah and Rear Admiral Ben Ohene-Kwapong, all retired senior officers of the Ghana Navy.
The first three donated in 2008 were used by the Western Naval Command recently to arrest some industrial vessels fishing in restricted areas.
In an address, the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. J.H. Smith, said the government considered equipping the navy extremely important, adding that the soul of the navy was ships and boats, which were very essential in patrolling the seas and preventing illegalities off the coast of the country.
He said the government was in the process of acquiring modern platforms and refurbishing the existing ones to ensure that the navy was not found wanting in these times that illegality in the maritime domain had assumed unacceptable proportions.
Lt Gen Smith said what was more was that “we are taking steps to complete the slipway and the test bench project at the Naval Dockyard, which will greatly enhance fleet maintenance and ensure availability of ships to perform assigned roles”.
The country, he said, would not wait unconcerned to allow people to deplete the country’s fish stock and added that the Ghana Navy also had the role to protect the country’s interest in the wake of the recent oil find and would deliver in that endeavour.
He acknowledged that strong US-Ghana ties had resulted in the increase in social and security assistance and gave examples such as the international military education and training and African contingency training programmes being offered to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The minister expressed the hope that the additional defender-class boats would go a long way to help create safety along the coast of the country.
For her part, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy, Ms Julie Furuta-Toy, said the partnership between the US and Ghana was to ensure peace and security for the citizenry of both countries.
“We partner in the effort to enforce maritime laws; to protect fishing rights and the environment, to prevent illegal narcotics trafficking, as well as provide joint training and exercise for our militaries.”
She said the boats were multipurpose and could thus be deployed on variety of operational missions, since they were designed for transition directly from ocean riverine missions without modification.
The boats, Ms Furuta-Toy said, could be moved quickly across the country on trailers for deployment where and when necessary.
She said it was important to note that US-Ghana co-operation extended beyond the donation of boats to include regular ship visits under APS which began in 2007 with Ghana.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Matthew Quashie, thanked the US government for the attention and said the country’s economy largely depended on revenue through foreign trade and exploitation of the country’s natural resources.
He said the Ghana Navy was bracing up to meet the challenges that would emanate from the commercial production of oil, which begins in the last quarter of the year.
“We share a common goal to ensure safety and security so as to maximise economic benefits in our maritime domain,” he said.
The Chief of Naval staff said the only way the much needed safety and security could be achieved was with seaworthy platforms and facilities, adding, “That is why we are grateful to the US government for the support.”