The Ghana Navy will soon have its own barracks, courtesy a 100 million dollar Chinese loan facility, Mr. Mark Woyongo, Minister of Defence has announced.
Land has already been acquired for the project and negotiations were ongoing with Poly Technologies Incorporated (PTI) to finalize the agreement to secure the loan for the project.
Mr. Woyongo said the Ghana Navy had existed for nearly 55 years, but had no barracks of its own, compelling the naval officers to rent accommodations scattered all over, thereby making it difficult to mobilize them in good time for any emergency response.
The Defence Minister, who made this known when he took his turn at meet the press series on Tuesday, said the Ministry was determined to ensure the Navy had their own barracks in the Western Region to put in a stronger position to provide security to the newly discovered offshore oil and gas resources.
Similarly, the Ministry was also pursuing a plan to build Forward Operating Bases at Nuba and Ezelibu in the Western Region, to ensure that the military was positioned close to the oil and gas facilities in the area, to enhance emergency response time.
Mr. Woyongo said the Ministry had also procured loans from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and PTI for housing project for the military personnel.
On health, he said the Legislative Instrument setting up the National Health Insurance Scheme was being amended to bring troops and their families on board.
He said biometric registration was being carried out for service personnel and their families to benefit from the scheme.