Minister of Defense, Dominic Nitiwul has revealed that it cost the country 450,000 US dollars to transport troops that supported the ECOWAS forces during the precarious situation in The Gambia.

About 205 soldiers were sent to the Senegal to back a joint regional force that had planned a military intervention when The Gambian former leader, Yahya Jammeh refused to step down after losing election.

Briefing Parliament on Ghana’s involvement in the joint ECOWAS operation to secure The Gambia in January, the minister explained that the country spent US$450,000 on that assignment due to the failure of the US to air-lift troops.

This, Dominic Nitiwul, said delayed the Ghanaian contingent’s participation in the entire operation. Meanwhile, the minister has brought to the fore the urgent need to resource the Ghana Armed Forces.

“It is suggested that strategic series and other equipments need by the Armed Forces for such emergencies and for deployment at home and abroad be seriously looked at.

“But our troops are safe, Ghanaians in the Gambia are safe and our participation in the ECOWAS Mission has been commended highly by the ECOWAS mission, the international community and the Gambia.”