The Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) has donated two drones to the Ghana Navy and Ghana Boundary Commission to improve on surveillance at their various points of operations.
The gesture by the GNPC is its recognition of the need to have a secure, well-monitored and well-developed maritime space in which its assets such as FPSOs, vessels, pipelines and other infrastructure are secure from unwanted marine traffic and other activities.
Presenting the drones to the two beneficiary institutions at a brief ceremony in Tema, the Deputy CEO of GNPC, Benjamin Acolatse, said the equipment would further aid the Ghana Navy to detect and monitor vessels remotely, carry out surveillance and track suspicious activities. It would also help to monitor remote offshore or isolated sites, monitor ‘Right of Way’ and ‘Secure’ zones, monitor trespassing and vandalism and combat illegal debunking, theft and piracy.
“We also believe these drones will be very useful in protecting the marine ecosystem. Drones have proven to be cost-efficient, accurate, effective and reliable. GNPC will continue to work with the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Ghana Navy and GhBC to advance our common goal of having a safe and secure maritime space to operate within,” he concluded.
The outgoing Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, Commodore Emmanuel Ayesu Kwafo, described the donation as timely, given the illegal activities on the country’s boundary borders.
“The drone will be used to provide a regular and efficient assessment of Ghana’s maritime boundaries by providing intelligence, surveillance and important information,” Commodore Kwafo explained.
The National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Major General Emmanuel Kotia, on his part explained the mandates of the Ghana Boundaries Commission as stipulated in ACT 795, which include negotiating and collaborating with relevant security agencies to ensure the safety of Ghana’s maritime boundaries and safeguarding the security and territorial sovereignty of Ghana.
On account of that, he said the drone would give the leeway to ensure that the maritime boundary is safe at all times.
Major General Kotia noted that, “Over the years, the Ghana Boundary Commission has cooperated with the GNPC on maritime issues.
The GNPC’s continued support of the Ghana Boundary Commission has been quite useful since it has helped enormously in the discharge of its mandate. But for the GNPC, the Commission would have been lacking in the discharge of its key mandate.
“The Commission seeks to collaborate in future with the GNPC to look at exploration in the Volta Basin which has land boundary implications.”
Major General Kotia appealed for more drones to enable it to discharge its duties as the Commission seeks to explore more areas next year.
