The Minister for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, has confirmed to Parliament that consultations are underway regarding the purchase of an executive jet.
According to him, the process has been triggered following a request from the Ghana Air Force for the acquisition of an additional jet to support the operations of the government and the military.
Responding to questions in Parliament from North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister for Defence indicated that Parliament will be presented with an agreement for the purchase of the aircraft based on the outcome of the ongoing consultations.
“The Ghana Air Force has indeed written to the Minister of Defence to secure for the use of government business the main aircraft for the communications squadron for the Ghana Air Force. Mr Speaker, consultations are ongoing with Government, Parliament, religious bodies and trade unions on the purchase of Ghana Air Force and Navy assets to enable the Ghana Armed Forces to efficiently defend our nation as expected,” the Minister announced in Parliament on Tuesday, December 14, 2021.
He said the decision to procure a new aircraft had become necessary because the current aircraft was not fit for purpose.
“The policy and strategy of the Ghana Air Force have been to maintain a minimum of 2 aircraft, which consists of the main aircraft and supporting aircraft that are expected to undertake government business. It must be noted that the CASA 295 is not suitable for Government business in view of its design and features making it a pure military aircraft.”
The Minister for Defence recently laid a 111 million euro performance sales and purchase agreement for the supply of six L-39 next-generation aircraft for the Ghana Armed Forces.
The agreement was laid in the House by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on behalf of his colleague, Dominic Nitiwul.
AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE a.s of the Czech Republic is the named supplier in the agreement.
The agreement was subsequently referred to the Defence and Interior Committee for consideration.
According to the Ministry of Defence’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework for 2020-2023, the ministry as of June 30, 2019, had “overhauled three (3) Casa Aircraft for the Ghana Air Force and Two (2) helicopters which were grounded since 2012.”
Per the document, seven aircraft were supposed to have been acquired for the Ghana Armed Forces before the end of 2020.