Sekondi: Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has urged the Ghana Navy to persist in collaborating with other maritime stakeholders to enhance the nation's maritime security and safeguard its territorial integrity.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Vice President emphasized that a secure maritime domain would create favorable conditions for the blue economy to benefit both current and future generations. She called on the Ghana Navy to demonstrate bravery, loyalty, and commitment to achieve this objective. Her remarks were made during the conclusion of a four-day Ghana Navy Memorial Day celebration, coinciding with the 35th anniversary of the Ghana Navy Ship (GNS) Yogaga bombing in Liberia in September 1994. The event, held at the Sekondi Naval Base Ceremonial Jetty, included a religious parade and wreath-laying ceremony at the Western Naval Command Cenotaph.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang highlighted that the theme of the celebration, 'Sacrifice, Service, and Sovereignty: Legacy of the Ghana Navy,' reflects the core values of naval traditions, such as steadfast duty, unyielding courage, and patriotic vigilance in defending territorial integrity and national interests. She remarked that the sacrifices of those who have fallen in the line of duty serve as a reminder of the hard-won sovereignty and freedom of the nation, with their legacies intertwined in the country's history.
The Vice President commended the officers and ratings for their dedication, noting, "As a coastal nation, the preservation of Ghana's security and sovereignty is incomplete without maritime security." She acknowledged the security threats in the Gulf of Guinea but credited the Ghana Navy for maintaining the relative safety of Ghana's maritime domain.
Addressing the challenges faced by the Navy, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang assured that the government is aware of the constraints, such as insufficient platforms and facilities, and is exploring ways to address these issues with urgency to enhance operational efficiency.
Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, the Chief of Naval Staff, encouraged active service personnel to draw inspiration from their predecessors who established a foundation of discipline and devotion to duty within the Ghana Armed Forces. He announced plans to acquire additional offshore patrol vessels, which would expand the Navy's reach, improve its ability to secure the maritime domain, and better prepare it to counter traditional and emerging threats.
