By Christiana Afua Nyarko
Bundase, Nov 21, GNA – Tong Defa, China’s Ambassador to Ghana, has announced plans for strengthened security cooperation between China and Ghana.
He stated that China intends to collaborate with Ghana to establish and implement a Global Security Initiative partnership, in addition to supporting peace and security projects and other security-related initiatives.
Mr Defa made the announcement on Wednesday during the official handover and commissioning of the newly constructed headquarters of the Tri-service Recruit Training Schools at the Battle Training Camp in Bundase.
“I am confident that, there will be more security cooperation between us in the near future.
“China will join hands with Ghana to establish and implement a Global Security Initiative partnership, support Ghana to carry out peace and security projects, work together with Ghana to build a demonstration zone of Global Security Initiative and Conduct early-stage cooperation,” he said.
Mr Defa also highlighted other aid projects from China to Ghana, including the recently commissioned Jamestown Fishing Harbour Complex and the upcoming Annex Office Building Project for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, which is yet to be commissioned.
He emphasized that these initiatives, along with the latest achievement in the China-Ghana security partnership, demonstrate the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries.
“It once again demonstrates the longstanding solid friendship between our two countries and armed forces and also gives us great confidence to promote bilateral strategic friendship to a new height,” he said.
The projects handed over by China to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) also included a newly built Army Recruit Training School at Shai Hills in Greater Accra, a Naval Recruit Training School in Nutekpor near Sogakope in the Volta Region, and an Airforce Recruit Training School in Takoradi, Western Region.
The headquarters facility at Bundase, according to Colonel Jonas Adjei Wiafe, Director of Engineering Services, GAF, includes 23 offices, a multipurpose hall, 32 ablution units, and several other ultra-modern amenities.
These developments are part of the China Military Aid Project to the GAF, which came to fruition following a protocol agreement between the two countries in Beijing in January 2020.
The projects were constructed by the China Railway Number 5 Engineering Group Corporation, with support from the Directorate of Engineering Services (DES) and other relevant units of the GAF.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Kofi Amankwah Manu, the Deputy Minister of Defence, explained that the various military bases built under the project are part of efforts to enhance the GAF’s capacity to train and prepare personnel for security duties and peace support operations, both within Ghana and internationally.
“For us to have these edifices will mean that our men will be better prepared because when they come here, they will need these facilities to enhance their training.
“To have this means they will go out there to better prepared and positioned to do that which they are already doing,” he said.
GNA