Ghana to increase budget of defense with a total ammount for 2013 of 230 million Euros 1203132

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Defence News - Ghana
 
 
Tuesday, March 12, 2013, 11:12 AM
 
Ghana to increase budget of defense with a total ammount for 2013 of 230 million Euros.
Mr Seth Terkper, Finance Minister of Ghana, said an amount of GH¢ 575,609,022 (230 million Euro) have been allocated to the Ministry of Defence. Out of this, GH¢ 492,303,112 (197 million Euro) is from Government of Ghana, GH¢ 5,973,910 (2.4 million Euro) is Internally Generated Fund and GH¢ 77,332,000 (31 million Euro) is from Donor. The Finance Minister said it was government’s intention to meet the strategic requirement of the Ghana Armed Forces as well as facilitate the ministry to acquire personal weapons, troop carrying vehicles, infantry fire-assault vehicles, parachutes and accessories, and road construction equipment for the Army.
     
Mr Seth Terkper, Finance Minister, said an amount of GH¢ 575,609,022 (230 million Euro) have been allocated to the Ministry of Defence. Out of this, GH¢ 492,303,112 (197 million Euro) is from Government of Ghana, GH¢ 5,973,910 (2.4 million Euro) is Internally Generated Fund and GH¢ 77,332,000 (31 million Euro) is from Donor. The Finance Minister said it was government’s intention to meet the strategic requirement of the Ghana Armed Forces as well as facilitate the ministry to acquire personal weapons, troop carrying vehicles, infantry fire-assault vehicles, parachutes and accessories, and road construction equipment for the Army.
Ghanaian Army During Independence Day Celebrations
     

Mr Terkper made this known when he presented the 2013 Budget to Parliament in Accra yesterday.

He said in addition, the Navy acquired fast patrol boats with the Air Force acquiring; Diamond DA 42 MPP aircraft, CASA 295 aircraft, and Mi-171Sh Helicopters.


On Internal and External Peace Support Operations, he said to enhance the operations of the Ministry and to support UN peacekeeping operations, over 5,000 troops were trained in local and foreign institutions and deployed to various missions abroad.

Joint military and police internal security operations were also undertaken across Ghana.

He said government was determined to provide adequate protection and security for the oil and gas industry in the Western Region and that it had established the Petroleum Security Coordinating Committee and preparatory works for the establishment of Forward Operating Bases are on-going.

The need for maintenance facilities for naval assets led to the rehabilitation of the Test-Bench and the completion of the Slipway at the Western Naval Base, Sekondi.

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) improved power supply to two and six Garrisons in Sekondi-Takoradi and Tamale respectively, and expanded infrastructure at the 37 Military Hospital.

Preparatory works for the construction of a 500-bed hospital at Afari near Kumasi and a 600-bed expansion of the 37 Military Hospital was undertaken.

Mr Terkper said the Ministry would continue with the modernization of the Ghana Armed Forces by providing equipment to its personnel in addition to adequate training.

The Ministry would also continue with the re-structuring projects including command headquarters and company locations, he said.

He said the process of acquisition of land, site preparation and drawings for the Forward Operating Base in Jomoro in the Western Region, and for the Engineer Barracks in Kintampo in the Brong Ahafo Region would be completed as well as the on-going GAF housing projects.

According to Mr Terkper, the Ghana Navy would continue maintenance work on its fleet at the Naval Dockyard Complex in Sekondi and the refurbishment and maintenance of air platforms of the Ghana Air Force.

Mr Terkper said the Ministry would maintain its fighting vehicles and equipment with a view to improving internal security operations and also ensure that clothing and other basic necessities for the officers, men, women and civilian employees of the Ghana Armed Forces were provided.