The Ghana Navy has received two Defender class boats and a storage facility provided by the United States to bolster the Navy’s capacity to combat maritime threats and enhance regional maritime security.
The boats were delivered in a ceremony at the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) on 27 September, attended by US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, and other dignitaries.
“This ceremony is more than just a handover; it symbolizes our joint efforts to ensure the Ghana Navy is well-equipped to safeguard its waters,” Palmer said.
Yakubu highlighted that the donation is part of a series of contributions from the US Government to enhance the Ghana Navy’s Special Boats Squadron’s capabilities. He noted that the US has provided four 38-foot boats, maintenance spares, communication equipment, Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) gear, weapons, ammunition, and other essential support over the past two years.
Commodore Solomon Asiedu-Larbi, the Flag Officer Commanding NAVTRAC, expressed the command’s deep appreciation to the US Navy for their professionalism and strong collaboration during the construction of the storage facility.
The two Defender-class boats have been named GNS Issah Yakubu and GNS David Hansen in honour of the current CNS and the first CNS, respectively. The boats and storage facility are worth over GHC24 million ($1.5 million).
The boat storage facility was constructed by Seabees from the United States’ 22nd Naval Construction Regiment and their 1st, 11th and 133rd battalions working alongside Marines from the Hershel Woody Williams Marine Detachment Engineer Platoon.
Palmer said the contribution is the latest stemming from a robust US-Ghana security partnership. “This year alone, our security support to Ghana will surpass 438 million Ghanaian cedis – or over $28 million —underscoring our dedication to Ghana’s leadership in West Africa. Together, we are addressing regional security challenges, investing in long-term development, protecting democratic values, and fostering mutual economic growth.”
“As you may know, the United States is Ghana’s largest bilateral development partner. In 2023, our bilateral support through USAID totalled over $140 million. In the area of fishing, USAID is investing $24 million over five years (2021-2026) to support sustainable fisheries management in Ghana. The Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity collaborates with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to advance fisheries science, management, and enforcement.
“These boats will enable the Ghanaian Navy to better secure its territorial waters and in turn to protect commercial activity, such as fishing and its critical role in Ghana’s food security. It’s all connected. Ghana’s Navy is protecting their waters form international crime, from terrorist threats and from illegal and unregulated fishing which robs Ghanaians of their livelihoods,” Palmer said.
She added that US programmes in Ghana aim to empower communities, fortify military collaboration, and enhance the capabilities of Ghanaian security services, ensuring Ghana’s resilience against the growing threat of violent extremism. “However, the challenges in the Sahel, marked by security, humanitarian, and political crises, require our collective attention. The rise of violent extremism, human rights abuses, and displacement underscore the need for democratic governance as a solution to instability. Here, too, Ghana plays a critical role as a democratic leader and exporter of security.”
In July 2023 the US donated two Defender class boats to Ghana’s Special Boat Squadron. A month before, the Ghana Navy took delivery of two former US Coast Guard Marine Protector patrol boats (GNS Aflao and GNS Half Assini) supplied by the United States under its Excess Defence Articles (EDA) programme.
Ghana’s Navy has been expanding in recent years, notably with the acquisition of four Flex Fighter offshore patrol vessels that were built in Singapore by Penguin Shipyard. They were commissioned in February 2022. These four vessels were bought to provide dedicated security to the country’s offshore oil and gas installations.
In October 2017 Ghana commissioned into service four Chinese-made patrol boats (985Y), which have a maximum displacement of 8.6 tons, a maximum speed of 38 knots and range of 220 nautical miles. Previously, Ghana has bought Chinese military hardware that includes two 46 metre patrol vessels ordered from Poly Technologies in 2008. The two were commissioned in 2011.
New naval infrastructure is also being added, including multiple forward operating bases across the coastline.
