BTR-70 Armored Personnel Carrier (Made in Russia)
The Ghana Armed Forces have taken delivery of some 175 armored personnel carrier vehicles and radio communication equipment to replenish its dilapidated military and logistical equipment to meet the ever-changing security challenges facing Ghana and governments in the West African sub-region.
Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana, handed over the new military equipment to the Ghana Armed Forces on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, in a ceremony at the Gondar Barracks in the nation’s capital, Accra.
The 175 vehicles comprise 20 BTR-70 armored personnel carriers and 70 Kamaz troop-carrying vehicles all made by the Russian Federation. The 8-wheeled BTR-70 armored personnel vehicles and the Kamaz trucks were developed by the Soviet Union in 1969 and they were deployed to Afghanistan during Russia’s botched invasion of the Islamic nation in 1979
Kamaz Troop Carrying Truck (Made in Russia)
Husky Armored Vehicle (Made in UK)
Also included in the delivery are 20 Husky Armored Vehicles manufactured in the United Kingdom by the Navistar Defence corporation, 65 assorted vehicles manufactured by the Toyota Company in Japan, as well as radio equipment to improve communication among the forces.
In an address, President Nana Akufo-Addo said the new equipment will go a long way to improve the mobility and security operations of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), especially in the northern parts of the country where there is instability and terror threats from violent groups along the country’s borders.
The President explained since 2020, the NPP government has been exploring various avenues to re-tool, construct and upgrade the existing facilities at 15 Forward Operating Bases and new units. He disclosed that the new units include the 154 and 155 Armored Regiments, and the 10 and 11 Mechanized Battalions as well as supporting logistics units.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces called for closer collaboration between the Ministries of the Interior, National Security, Foreign Affairs, and the Ghana Revenue Authority to deter any group(s) that would attempt to derail the peace and economic gains achieved by the country over the years.
