Story:Michael Donkor, Bouake, Cote d’ Ivoire
THE government has secured a $60 million loan from China to purchase military equipment for peacekeeping missions.
It has also secured a $100 million buyer’s credit from China to re-equip the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to execute its constitutional mandate effectively.
The Minister of Defence, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, announced this at Bouake in La Cote d’Ivoire when he visited personnel of the GAF serving with the United Nation’s Peacekeeping Mission (UNOCI) in that country, last Friday.
He said the move formed part of the government’s resolve to adequately equip the GAF.
Ghana loses huge reimbursement from the United Nations due to the GAF’s inadequate equipment for peacekeeping missions.
Currently, Ghana is undertaking peacekeeping duties in La Cote d’ Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, and Liberia.
Mr Kan-Dapaah said the government considered peacekeeping as serious business so it would ensure that the necessary equipment and logistics were provided for the troops to perform creditably.
He said the government wanted to avoid the situation where troops lost their lives because the necessary equipment had not been provided.
He gave the assurance that the troops would be given adequate imprest to carry out their responsibilities on the peacekeeping mission fields.
Mr Kan-Dapaah appealed to the soldiers to exhibit a high sense of professionalism in the discharge of their duties and avoid any acts that would dent their credibility.
He advised the soldiers to remain neutral in the forthcoming general election in Cote d’Ivoire and carry out their assigned duties diligently.
Ghana’s Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, commended the government’s intention to purchase the required equipment for peacekeeping, adding that when taken serious, peacekeeping could generate a lot of revenue for the country.
The Commanding Officer of Ghanbatt Nine, Lt. Col. Albert Adu, who briefed the defence minister, said security in the Bouake area had stabilised.
He said although the general election had been slated for November 30, this year, the voters register was not ready.
Lt. Col. Adu said Ghanaian troops had successfully provided security for the region and engaged in constant patrols of the towns and villages as well as escorting electoral materials for the Electoral Commission.
He said the troops also carried out any other duties assigned to them and appealed to the government to speed up moves to re-equip the armed forces.
He said the Ghanbatt Nine lacked important equipment such as riot control equipment, tear gas and rubber bullets.
Lt. Col. Adu said the Force Commander on several occasions had warned that the United Nations (UN) would not take responsibility for any casualty or eventuality should Ghana fail to provide its troops with such logistics.
The Defence Minister earlier called on the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Youn Jin Choi, and the UNOCI Force Commander, Major-General Fernand Amoussou, in Abidjan.
Mr Choi expressed his condolences to the government and Ghanaians for the death of the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu.
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