Four new flex-fighter boats bought to strengthen the capacity of the Ghana Navy to effectively protect the country’s territorial sea against any threats and safeguard the offshore and gas installations, have arrived in the port city of Takoradi.
The fighter vessels are well-equipped – fitted with all vital logistics needed to protect the offshore oil and gas installations and other national assets as well as neutralize threats by pirates, smugglers and other illegal activities.
The acquisition of the flex-fighter boats is part of the government’s programme of adequately equipping the Ghana Navy to protect the country’s maritime space and deal with the threat of piracy, illegal fishing, smuggling and other criminal activities.
This is important considering the fact the Gulf of Guinea, remains a piracy hotspot.
According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) the Gulf of Guinea accounted for 43 percent of all reported piracy in the first quarter of last year – 2021.
The fighter vessels, according to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Petroleum Commission, Egbert Faibille, are going to be operated by naval captains with international ratings.
These are going to make Ghana’s territorial sea safer.
The four fighter vessels arrived on board a merchant vessel, the MV BBC Nile, on Saturday, January 8, 2022, and are currently, at the quayside of the Takoradi Port.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will be commissioning the flex-fighter boats.
The expectation is that on Ghana Navy vessels would this time round be protecting the offshore oil and gas installations and other national assets.
The situation where the oil companies engaged private boats top protect their offshore oil and gas installations is going to stop with the acquisition of the new fighter vessels for the Ghana Navy.
The Ghana Navy is now in a stronger position to effectively do this.
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