Ghana Navy ready to combat illegal activities on high seas - Lt. Gen. Smith

Takoradi, Oct. 24, GNA — Ghana is now ready to combat illegal activities on the country's territorial waters with the arrival of four new ships, Defence Minister Lieutenant Joseph Henry Smith on Monday assured.

“Ghana Armed Forces will ensure the country's territorial integrity and provide safe sea passage to all legitimate traffic while combating illegal activities including bunkering, drug trafficking, poaching and pair-trawling,” he emphasized.

Lt. General Smith made this pronouncement at the reception ceremony of four new fast patrol ships for the Ghana Navy at the Takoradi Port on Monday.

The ships, manufactured by Poly Technologies Incorporated in China was purchased by the Government for the enforcement of the Fisheries Regulations and Laws as well as for all military roles and other tasks that would be assigned.

The four ships namely GNS BLIKA, GNS GARINGA, CHEMLE and GNS EHWOR were categorized as the “Snake Class Ships” to portray the lethal nature of the platform to deal with anticipated threats.

Lt. General Smith said the arrival of the ships would put the Navy in a better stead to deal decisively with illegal activities on the waters of Ghana and the West African Sub-Region in ensuring total peace and tranquillity.

“Take very good care of these strategic assets, put them to good use for the nation, and also ensure that their lifespan is prolonged”, he advised.

He said the rising incidence of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea was worrying and that called for a vigorous interrogation by all stakeholders in the maritime industry.

The Defence Minister indicated that the issue of piracy was discussed extensively at the recent meeting of the Chiefs of Defence Staff of ECOWAS countries and that the Navies of the sub-region would collaborate to curb the piracy menace.

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwasi Ahwoi said the acquisition of the ships would put the Navy in a good position to curtail the outlawed fishing activities such as light fishing, pair-trawling and other explosives used for fishing.

He urged the fisher folks to cooperate with the navy to ensure the enforcement of the Fisheries regulations.

Mr Ahwoi noted that the ban on light fishing was intended to secure the livelihoods of fishermen in the country since they depended on fishing for survival.

The Minister condemned last Friday attack on the fisheries security taskforce at Bosomtwi Fishing Harbour at Sekondi where four Navy officers were injured by irate fishermen during the enforcement of the fisheries law.

He commended the Navy for exercising restraint during the provocation and admonished the fishermen to stop attacking the taskforce since they were enforcing the law.

The Flag Officer Commanding the Western Naval Command, Commodore Samuel Timothy Appiah, expressed gratitude to the government for commitment shown to combat illegal activities on our territorial waters and safeguarding the security of the nation.

He said it had taken the Navy 31 years to receive the new ships.

The overall length of each ship is 46.8 meters with state-of-the-art navigational devices fitted inside them.

GNA