One week after Parliament approved an amount of $105.4 million for the purchase of a number of aircraft, Ghana’s Minister of Defence has signed a contract with Airbus Military for the acquisition of two C295 aircraft, the Minister of Defence Lt. Gen. J. H. Smith has confirmed.

Airbus Military is an Airbus daughter company based in Spain. News about the purchase of five aircraft by the government generated heated debate in the country.

The two aircraft are to be delivered from the beginning of 2012

The C295, the Minister of Defence was cited to have said elsewhere will enable the Ghana Air Force to move troops and other security agencies across the country and within the West African sub-region. The aircraft will also be used for medical evacuation, paratrooping, training and humanitarian operations including assistance to organizations such as National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the peace mission of the United Nations.

According to Airbus, a total of 85 C295s have now been ordered by 14 customers worldwide.