Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has called for the urgent acquisition of offshore patrol vessels to strengthen Ghana’s maritime security following the recent armed attack on fishermen near Senya Beraku.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show on Thursday, he said the presence of such vessels would serve as a strong deterrent to pirates and other criminal elements operating within Ghana’s territorial waters.
His comments come in the wake of a violent sea attack on Wednesday, February 25, which left several fishermen stranded after armed men reportedly fired warning shots, held them at gunpoint, and made away with seven outboard motors and other valuables.
So far, all 71 fishermen have been rescued after fellow fishers towed their disabled canoes back to shore in a collaborative effort which involved the Ghana Navy and Ghana Air Force.
He stressed that piracy is becoming increasingly frequent and worrying.
He also expressed concern over delays in appointing a substantive Defence Minister, warning that the situation could expose the country to external threats.
“Piracy is becoming a growing concern. The crisis in the defence sector is alarming. For the past few months, we have urged the President to appoint a substantive Minister of Defence. The failure to do so has made our country vulnerable to external threats. It is reckless and dangerous that the President has taken no action in this regard. The message we are sending to external actors is that we do not take our defence seriously,” he remarked.
According to Rev. Fordjour, strengthening naval capacity with offshore patrol vessels is critical to safeguarding Ghana’s waters and preventing future attacks.
“Ghana needs offshore patrol vessels along its borders to counter piracy effectively. The absence of a Defence Minister, who should provide oversight and conduct risk assessments to prevent potential threats, is troubling. Acquiring offshore patrol vessels would serve as a deterrent to those planning attacks in our waters. We need to expedite the procurement of these vessels; further delays are unacceptable.
“Let us equip ourselves with the necessary assets to strengthen Ghana’s maritime defences and effectively ward off any potential pirate threats,” he added.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
