| Ghana Navy | |
|---|---|
Naval Ensign of Ghana |
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| Active | |
| Country | Ghana |
| Size | approximately 1000 |
| Part of | Ghanaian Ministry of Defence and Central Defence Headquarters |
| Naval Headquarters | Burma Camp, Accra |
The Ghana Navy (GN) is the naval force of the West African nation of Ghana. The navy, along with the Ghana Army and Ghana Air Force, make up the Ghana Armed Forces.
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The nucleus of the Ghana Navy is the Gold Coast Naval Volunteer Force formed during World War II. It was established by the colonial British administration to conduct seaward patrols to ensure that the coastal waters of the colony were free from mines. Following Ghana's attainment of independent nationhood on 6 March 1957 from the UK, the country's military was reorganized and expanded to meet its new challenges. A new volunteer force was raised in June, 1959 with headquarters at Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana. The men were drawn from the existing Gold Coast Regiment of Infantry. They were under the command of British Royal Navy officers on secondment. On 29 July 1959, the Ghana Navy was established by an Act of Parliament. The force had two divisions based at Takoradi and Accra respectively.[1] On 1 May 1962, the British Navy formed the Royal Navy Element of the British Joint Services Training Team, thus changing the nature of its relationship with the Ghana Navy. The first Chief of the Naval Staff was Captain D. A. Foreman, a retired British Naval Officer. He was granted a Presidential Commission as a Ghana naval officer in the rank of Commodore.[2] In September 1961 Nkrumah terminated the employment of British officers in the armed forces: the first Ghanaian to become Chief of the Naval Staff was Rear Admiral David Anumle Hansen, who was transferred from the Ghana army to head the navy.
The Ghana Navy command structure consists of the Naval Headquarters at Burma Camp, Accra. There are two operational commands, the Eastern Naval Command at Tema and the Western Naval Command at Sekondi.
The command comprises the following elements:[1]
The command comprises the following elements:[1]
The navy is organized into the following departments.[1]
The Ghana Navy fulfils a broad range of roles. These include:[1]
Balsam Class Patrol Ships - ex U. S. Coast Guard
After serving the USCG for 57 years, Woodrush was decommissioned on March 2, 2001 and sold to the Republic of Ghana to serve in Ghana Navy as GNS Anzone P30
| Name | Pennant | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Transferred | Status | ex |
| GNS Anzone (~shark) | P30 | Marine Iron & Ship Builders | 28 April 1944 | 22 September 1944 | 2001 | Active | USCGC Woodrush (WLB-407) |
| GNS Bonsu (~whale) | P31 | Marine Iron & Ship Builders | 31 December 1943 | 26 July 1944 | 2001 | Active | USCGC Sweetbrier (WLB-401) |
Chamsuri Class Patrol Boat - ex Republic of Korea Navy
Chamsuri means 'Sea Dolphin'.
| Name | Pennant | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Transferred | Status | ex |
| GNS Stephen Otu | P33 | Korea Tacoma, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanjin Heavy Industries | July 1980 | 21 January 2011 | Active | PKM 237 |
Albatros Class Fast Attack Craft - ex German Navy
Perchased in 2005 at $35 million for the two ships.
| Name | Pennant | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Transferred | Status | ex |
| GNS Sebo (~leopard) | P27 | Fr Lurssen Werft GmbH & Co | 19 September 1979 | 2 May 1980 | 2010 | Active | |
| GNS Dzata (~lion) | P31 | Fr Lurssen Werft GmbH & Co | 19 September 1979 | 4 December 1979 | 2010 | Active |
a single 20 m-long ex-US Navy PB Mk III inshore patrol craft that was built in the 1970s and transferred to Ghana in 2001.
USCG Defender Class Boat - ex U. S. Coast Guard
In 2008, the US government gave the Ghana Navy three such boats. They were handed over to the Western Naval Command in Sekondi.
On 13 March 2010, presented 4 additional boats.
On 10 December 2010, the Ghana Navy received six new speedboats with complete accessories from Ghana Red Cross, to facilitate its rescue mission in the country. The accessories included six Yamaha outboard motors, life jackets, life lines, first aid equipment and maintenance tools.
The initial fleet of the navy consisted of two Ham class minesweepers, GNS Yogaga and GNS Afadzato from the British Government. They were re-commissioned on 31 October 1959.[3]
In November 2009 Lt Gen Smith said that the Department of Fisheries was in the process of acquiring two Chinese 46 m boats for fisheries protection, while a separate agreement was signed with China's Poly Technologies to build two additional 46 m boats specifically for the Ghana Navy for maritime protection duties. He added that the government was also working with a German company to procure two used vessels – possibly ex-German Navy Gepard-class fast attack craft.
The Ghanaian Defence Minister, Lieutenant General J H Smith, announced in June 2010 that the 10 ships would be acquired as part of a short-term plan to re-equip the navy, which is not currently capable of defending Ghana's exclusive economic zone.
There have been 16 heads of the Ghana navy since its inception. One officer, Rear Admiral Dzang served two terms.[4]
In descending order of seniority:[9]
In descending order of seniority:[9]
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