The government signs a US $ 200 million contract for the construction of a military base in the Western Region

Accra, July 24, GNA – Government Signed
a US $ 200 million contract for the construction of an operations center
Base (FOB) in Edzinlibo, Western Region, for the protection of
the oil and gas infrastructure of the country.

The contract would allow the Ghanaian navy
receive the badociated offshore patrol boats for effective maritime patrols while
another contract was signed with Gulf Frontiers for the acquisition of six
additional patrol boats to strengthen the Ghanaian navy fleet.

This gesture follows Ghana's historic victory
on the neighboring Ivory Coast in 2017 before the Special Chamber of the
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Germany, during a
three-year maritime dispute.

The House, Saturday, September 23
2017, held that Ghana has not violated any maritime boundary of the Ivory Coast
and the two countries have therefore signed an agreement to
implementation of the Tribunal's decision.

The advanced operation base is all-security
advanced operational level military position commonly used for a long
period and improves the reaction time of the military during operations.

Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of Defense,
announced this when he addressed delegates at the opening of the first
International exhibition and conference on maritime defense in Accra on Wednesday.

The two-day conference, which is also
marking the 60th anniversary of the Ghanaian Navy, brought together more than 50 chiefs
Navy staffs in Africa and around the world, Coast Guards, Heads of Service,
researchers, regulators and stakeholders in the maritime sector.

They will discuss maritime challenges,
exchange ideas, share information and explore technological solutions to help
in maintaining maritime safety and safeguarding the maritime domain
sustainable exploitation of the blue economy for national development.

Delegates will share various maritime activities
strategies to ensure a safe and secure maritime environment in the Gulf of
Guinea and around the world.

It takes place under the theme:
"Strengthen regional collaboration to enhance maritime safety and
Development in the Gulf of Guinea ", while the 60th anniversary of the Ghanaian navy is
marked on the theme: "Celebrating 60 Years of Marine Excellence, Securing
maritime domain for national development ".

There were more than 80 defense solutions
suppliers from around the world presenting various technological solutions
threats to maritime safety.

Mr. Nitiwul recalled the need of all
maritime stakeholders in order to foster collaboration in order to deal decisively with
security threats.

He said the threats to the security of the maritime sector
domain transcended across borders and has the propensity to affect
international trade and coastal nations, given the fact that
trade accounts for about 80% of world trade.

Mr. Nitiwul said that the free African continent
Commercial Area (AfCFA) would be successful only if there was maritime safety
field, adding that of the 55 countries of the African Union, 39 are coastal countries.
States.

The Minister of Defense observed that the maritime sector
sector was the backbone of the Ghanaian economy because the ports and ports
has served as a gateway for over 80% of international trade and
vital for the mobilization of the country's revenues.

Mr. Nitiwul called for strengthening the African community
Integrated maritime strategy and inter-agency cooperation, as well as
combined cooperation between maritime safety agencies and stakeholders.

He was convinced that technology
This solution was essential to deal with maritime threats, which would contribute to
exchange of information and intelligence, and therefore expressed its enthusiasm for the
presence of technology solution providers at the conference.

Mr. Nitiwul said that offshore oil and gas
natural resources and badociated industries have contributed immensely to the
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and would increase significantly after
the discovery of more oil and gas wells.

Therefore, protect the Ghanaian maritime sector
This area is crucial for the implementation of the Ghana Beyond Aid program, as advocated by the
the government, he added.

Mr Nitiwul called for faster action to deal with
with illegal and unregulated fishing, maritime pollution,
theft, illegal bunkering and litany of maritime crimes to ensure sustainability
the use of the maritime badets of the nation.

The Minister congratulated the Ghanaian navy for
fulfill its mandate of protecting the territorial waters of the country with
excellence over the past 60 years, claiming that efforts are underway to achieve
knowledge of the maritime domain through satellite and other maritime imagery.
solutions while Ghana's air force was completing the navy with planes to
protect the country's maritime domain.

He said that the collaboration between Ghana
The navy and other security agencies have continued to deliver positive results.
recent crackdown on the activities of the fuel smuggling unions, as
result of this collaboration.

Nitiwul urged the Ghanaian navy not to
based on its oars, but should work in collaboration with other stakeholders such as
as Ghana Maritime Police, Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbors
Ghana Petroleum Commission and the National Petroleum Corporation,
as well as other international stakeholders and partners, in order to preserve the
the country's maritime domain and make the Gulf of Guinea a safer place.

GNA