US donates boats and storage facility to strengthen Ghana navy

The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia E. Palmer, has officially handed over two 38-foot DEFENDER Class Safe Boats and a newly constructed boat storage facility to the Ghana Navy at their Training Command (NAVTRAC) in the Volta Region. This donation, worth over GH₵24 million ($1.5 million), is aimed at strengthening Ghana’s maritime security.

The two boats are expected to enhance the Navy’s capacity to patrol and protect Ghana’s territorial waters. They complement two similar vessels that were provided last summer to the Navy’s Special Boat Squadron.

During the handover ceremony, Ambassador Palmer emphasized the significance of the U.S.-Ghana partnership. She remarked, “The United States is deeply proud of our long-standing relationship with Ghana, built on shared commitments to security, democracy, and prosperity. This event goes beyond the simple transfer of equipment—it is a reflection of our mutual efforts to ensure the Ghana Navy is fully equipped to defend its waters and maintain these essential assets.”

The newly built boat storage facility was constructed by the U.S. Navy’s 22nd Naval Construction Regiment, working in collaboration with Marines from the Hershel Woody Williams Marine Detachment Engineer Platoon.

The ceremony was attended by the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Issah Yakubu, along with senior officers from the Ghana Navy and the Ghana Armed Forces, underscoring the strong ties between both nations in the realm of security and defense.