A Ghanaian citizen has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to launch an urgent investigation into the procurement of 20 Soviet-era BTR-70 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), now said to be over 10 million Euros.
The citizen describes the vehicles as obsolete, unserviceable, and a danger to troops deployed in peacekeeping missions.
The petition, authored by Ola Durojaiye, also known as Kwame Danquah, outlines a litany of faults with the Soviet-era armoured vehicles, which were reportedly acquired from Azerbaijan through a local supplier, Double ST Limited.
Durojaiye alleges that the procurement process was riddled with “fraudulent practices,” “misrepresentation of information,” and a disregard for “troop safety and welfare.”
“These vehicles were commissioned despite being delivered in an advanced state of wear and tear. They lack essential spare parts and came without their main armaments, rendering them effectively useless,” Durojaiye stated in his petition.
He further claimed that the APCs, which were originally built in the late 1960s, have been retrofitted with diesel engines but without the critical support systems such as radiators and hoses. “The BTR-70s were not only outdated but also incomplete and defective. What was meant to be a strategic acquisition has turned into a logistical and operational disaster,” he noted.
According to the petitioner, seven of the APCs were deployed to Abyei in Sudan under the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) mission, but arrived unserviceable. Due to their inability to function, they had to be transported from Burma Camp to Tema Port on low-bed trailers.
“Even after dispatching a Forward Repair Team to attempt repairs in Sudan, only one APC shows any sign of limited mobility, and even that depends on parts cannibalised from the others,” Mr Durojaiye revealed.
He described the vehicles as “death traps,” citing leaking oil, malfunctioning brakes, absent communication systems, and non-bulletproof windscreens as hazards to personnel. The absence of the standard 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine guns, which were only delivered a year later and remain untested, compounded the shortcomings.
In addition to operational concerns, Durojaiye raised serious ethical and accountability questions.
He accused the military leadership of misrepresenting the vehicles’ year of manufacture as 2002 on the bill of lading, even though BTR-70 production ceased in 1984. “This points to a deliberate attempt to defraud the state and mislead stakeholders,” he alleged.
The petition also referenced past operational difficulties with BTR-60 APCs during Ghana’s involvement in the UN Mission in Sierra Leone, arguing that history should have dissuaded military authorities from acquiring similar vehicles.
Durojaiye called for a full-scale value-for-money audit of the procurement and stressed the need to prioritise soldiers’ safety over what he suggested may have been financial or political considerations.
Quoting the President’s own recent remarks at the commissioning of Regular Career Course Intake 63 at the Ghana Military Academy, he reminded the Commander-in-Chief that “officers must prioritise the welfare of their men.”
“If the manufacturer of the vehicle has long since retired it in favour of newer, more efficient versions, how can the procurement of these outmoded and deteriorated ‘hulks of scrap metal’ be justified?” he questioned.
The total cost of the 20 APCs was initially estimated at $8.8 million, with each unit reportedly purchased for $440,000. Durojaiye has pledged to provide further documentation and clarification if needed and has also copied the petition to the Minister of Defence and the Acting Chief of Defence Staff.
Below is the petition
14th April 2025
His Excellency
The President of the Republic of Ghana
Jubilee House
ACCRA
PETITION FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF THE PURCHASE OF BTR 70 ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS BY THE GHANA ARMED FORCES
1. INTRODUCTION
I, Mr. Ola Durojaiye alias Kwame Danquah, a citizen of the Republic of Ghana, respectfully submit this petition to your Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, seeking an audit of the purchase of armoured personnel carriers by the Ghana Armed Forces on grounds of;
1. Lack of Value for Money
2. Failure to Meet Operational Requirements
3. Neglect of Troops’ Welfare
4. Compromising Troop Safety
5. Mismanagement of Leadership
Responsibility
6. Misrepresentation of
Information
7. Fraudulent Practices
2. BACKGROUND
i. The Ghana Army acquired twenty
(20) Bronetransportor (BTR-70)
Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for deployment in peace support operations. These vehicles were supplied by Messrs. Double ST Limited, with their origin traced to Azerbaijan, an Eurasian nation situated in the South Caucasus region and formerly part of the Soviet Union.
ii. The BTR 70 APC was produced in the former USSR in the late 1960s. The BTR 70 was succeeded by the BTR 80 which came into service in 1985 and was itself replaced briefly by the BTR 90. The BTR 82 and BTR 82A are the current versions of the APC in use.
3. INVESTIGATIONS CONDUCTED
i. The BTR-70 is a versatile eight-wheeled amphibious APC originally equipped with two 6-cylinder, 115 hp GAZ-69B petrol engines. Subsequent upgrades included AMA-49-05 V8 engines and, in certain operational theatres, diesel engines. Although an improvement over its predecessor, the BTR-60, the BTR-70 retained several notable limitations, such as restricted troop access points and reliance on dual petrol engines. By 2023, the BTR-70 had reached an operational age of 51 years, underscoring its outdated design in comparison to more modern APCs.
ii. The BTR-70 APCs procured for the Ghana Army were retrofitted with diesel engines; however, the essential accompanying components, such as radiators and hoses, were omitted, rendering the vehicles inefficient and defective. Additionally, the vehicles were delivered in advanced stages of wear and tear, highlighting their outdated condition.
iii. To salvage their appearance, personnel from the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Corps at the 153 Armoured Regiment parade square undertook efforts to spray the exterior and reupholster the interiors. These measures were aimed at creating a semblance of presentability before the commissioning of the vehicles by the then-president, Nana Akufo-Addo. The attached images illustrate the state of the vehicles’ interiors prior to the restoration efforts by the EME personnel.
iv. In addition to the aforementioned fair wear and tear concerns, the BTR-70 APCs arrived without their standard main armaments—the 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine guns that are integral to the model’s design. However, the secondary armament, consisting of 7.62mm PKM co-axial machine guns, was present and underwent test firing.
v. The main armaments were eventually delivered in 2024, yet they remain untested due to the vehicles’ unserviceable condition, further compounding the operational challenges posed by this procurement.
vi. Contrary to standard best practices, the BTR-70 APCs to the Ghana Army were in poor state of repair and lacked essential spare parts, specialised tools, and maintenance or repair equipment. Even basic components, such as spare tires, were missing.
vii. The BTR-70 APCs arrived with numerous defects and operational challenges, some of which are detailed below:
1. Leakage of oil and lubricants, causing engine overheating after short periods of movement.
2. Malfunctioning brake and clutch systems.
3. Unserviceable rear camera monitors in most vehicles.
4. Absence of intra- and inter-vehicular communication devices, making communication within the vehicles, with other vehicles, or with the base impossible.
5. Blurred vision blocks and side mirrors on several vehicles, impairing visibility.
viii. Though equipped with a movable metal plate that typically remains raised, the plastic, non-bulletproof windscreens of the BTR-70 APCs permit penetration by small arms fire, exposing the driver’s and commander’s compartments to significant danger.
ix. Following their commissioning, seven (7) of these APCs—described as “death traps”—were shipped to Abyei, Sudan, for use by the Ghanaian battalion serving under the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Due to their unserviceability, the APCs were transported from Burma Camp to Tema Port using lowbed trailers.
x. A forward repair team (FRT) was dispatched to Abyei in an attempt to restore functionality to these APCs. Despite their efforts, the APCs remained largely unserviceable, and the FRT has since returned to Ghana. Currently, only one (1) of the seven APCs exhibits minimal mobility. This lone functioning APC relies on alternators salvaged from other non-operational vehicles, as its alternator is dysfunctional.
xi. The FRT confirmed the Ghanaian battalion’s concerns regarding the vehicles’ extreme fuel consumption and recurrent overheating after the shortest of journeys, rendering them wholly unreliable for deployment. Since their arrival in the area of operations (AO) on 16 March 2024, during GHANBATT 2’s tour of duty, the vehicles have not been deployed, as they cannot be started, much less moved.
xii. This dismal situation, borne by no fault of the troops representing Ghana, reflects a lack of the protection and appropriate equipment necessary for executing their duties. It places these dedicated soldiers in a precarious position, compromising their ability to serve the nation with the security and efficiency they deserve.
xiii. A precedent exists from the early 2000s, when troops of the Armoured Corps used BTR-60 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) during operations in the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). These vehicles were marred by numerous challenges. Was this prior experience not sufficient warning to avoid this make of APC entirely? As the age-old adage goes, “experience is the best teacher”—a truth proven time and time again.
xv. The decision to procure outdated APCs undermines military esprit de corps and goes against the principle of prioritising troops’ welfare over officers’ comfort or personal gain. This sentiment aligns with the recent remarks of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. On 11 April 2025, during the commissioning of the Regular Career Course Intake 63 at the Ghana Military Academy, Teshie, Accra, the President emphasised the duty of officers to prioritise their men’s comfort while serving the nation.
xvi. The bill of lading for these APCs falsely states the year of manufacture as 2002—an apparent act of deception and fraud. It is an established fact that the production of the BTR-70 ceased in 1984 following the introduction of its successor, the BTR-80. Unlike the BTR-70, which operates on dual petrol engines unless retrofitted, the BTR-80 features a single diesel engine. Moreover, the BTR-80 has since undergone significant upgrades, culminating in the release of the BTR-82 and its advanced variant, the BTR-82A.
xvii. If the manufacturer of the vehicle has long since retired it in favour of newer, more efficient versions, how can the procurement of these outmoded and deteriorated “hulks of scrap metal” be justified?
xvii. According to the available documentation (copies attached), each of these BTR-70 armoured personnel carriers was procured at a cost of approximately $440,000.00, amounting to a total expenditure of $8.8 million ($8,800,000).
4. CONCLUSION
i. The BTR-70 APCs were acquired for deployment in the Ghana Army peace operations. However, these vehicles are not fit for purpose. They are excessively outdated and were not refurbished to ensure their operational viability for use in any peacekeeping theatre.
ii. The evidence presented supports the following issues:
1. Lack of Value for Money
2. Failure to Meet Operational Requirements
3. Neglect of Troops’ Welfare
4. Compromising Troop Safety
5. Mismanagement of Leadership Responsibility
6. Misrepresentation of Information
7. Fraudulent Practices
5. RECOMMENDATION
i. I respectfully petition the President to initiate a value-for-money audit and investigation to assess the benefits, if any, that the Ghana Armed Forces has derived from the procurement of the BTR-70 APCs.
ii. I remain available to provide any further information or clarification as required.
Respectfully submitted.
Ola Durojaiye
Post Office Box 784
Osu
Accra
Telephone: 0541222007
Email: [email protected]
Copy to:
Minister of Defence
Acting Chief of the Defence Staff
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