The Ghana Chamber of Mines has supported the Ghana Air Force to refurbish some of its aircrafts for enhanced security operations across the country.

President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mr. Edem Akafia, speaking at a brief ceremony to present the cheque on behalf of the Chamber members, highlighted the longstanding relationship between the mining industry and the military as well as the strategic importance of the mining industry to the country’s economy.

“As you may well know, the mining industry is a strategic sector of the country’s economy as it accounts for the largest share of taxes received by the government and foreign exchange inflows as well as supports many local businesses,” Mr. Akafia said.

He added that the importance of mining to the economy should naturally position the sector as a priority area for Ghana’s security chieftains.

The Chamber President noted that the Chamber also had productive relationships with the Ghana Armed Forces as well as the Ministry of Defense. He further expressed his gratitude to the Ghana Air Force for their unwavering dedication to maintaining peace and security both within Ghana and across the sub-region.
“We doff our hats, or in this case, salute our gallant airmen and airwomen for their trail-blazing accomplishments despite the logistical and other resource constraints that confront the Service,” he stated.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Frederick Asare Bekoe, in his remarks, expressed profound gratitude for the support and reiterated the critical role of such partnerships in enhancing the operational readiness of the Ghana Air Force.
Air Vice Marshal Bekoe further expressed his gratitude and optimism about the relationship between the two institutions that would benefit both the Air Force and the mining industry.

The Air Vice Marshal subsequently conducted a tour of the operations room and educated the Chamber delegation on the operations of the Air Force.

Background

In 2023, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, apprised the Chamber of the challenges facing the Ghana Air Force and requested support. Subsequently, a delegation from the Chamber joined the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. George Mireku Duker, and some senior officers of the Ministry to visit the Takoradi Air Force Base (AFB) to ascertain the situation.

The ensuing discussions culminated in the Chamber’s decision to support the Ghana Air Force with US$300,000 towards the repair of some faulty aircraft. The Chamber thus presented 50% of the earmarked funds, GHS 2,280,000, which is equivalent to US$150,000, to the Ghana Air Force. The remaining amount will be delivered by the end of September 2024.