Government to establish military base in Western Region to protect oil resources

President Nana Akufo-Addo has revealed that his government will soon establish a military base in the Western Region to guard the country’s petroleum resources.

Ghana, a few months ago, emerged victorious in a three-year maritime boundary dispute with neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire at the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Germany.

The Chamber, in a unanimous decision on Saturday, 23 September 2017, ruled that there had not been any violation on the part of Ghana on Côte d’Ivoire’s maritime boundary.

The Chamber rejected Côte d’Ivoire’s argument that Ghana’s coastal lines were unstable.

Accordingly, the two countries have signed agreements on the implementation of the ruling by the tribunal.

Consequently, Mr Akufo-Addo announced in a speech at the passing out ceremony of army personnel at the Ghana Military Academy on Friday, 19 October 2018 that: “A contract has also been signed for the construction of a forward operating base at Nzulezu in the Western Region to protect our oil resources”.

Additionally, there are collaborative efforts with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and the Ministry of Defence to resource the GAF for that purpose.

The government has, therefore, ordered for six patrol boats for the Ghana Navy to help in the protection of the maritime resources.