Vice President Professor Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the chairperson of the recently sworn-in Ghana Armed Forces Council, has voiced concern about the Ministry of Defense’s GH¢3.7 billion debt, claiming that it is having an adverse effect on military personnel’s welfare, including their ability to obtain food and adequate housing.
GH¢275 million of the total debt is owing to food suppliers alone, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang disclosed at the Council’s swearing-in event at Jubilee House on Monday, March 24, 2025.
“We are experiencing an economic crisis, that’s what it is,” she stated, adding that the Ministry of Defense now owes GH¢3.7 billion. “We must upgrade homes and other infrastructure. We are severely short on funds.
She went on to say that although the Ghana Armed Forces are still carrying out their duty in challenging conditions, the financial hardship is making it harder for the organization to provide for its members’ fundamental necessities.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang emphasized the gravity of the Council’s duties, characterizing the occasion as more serious than joyous.
“This is not a celebratory event, but rather a very, very solemn one,” she stated. “We are discussing our nation’s security. The appointment is not the subject of our fanfares.
Under her direction, the Council would advise the President on defense and security issues and look into methods to assist in resolving the budgetary and logistical issues facing the Armed Forces, she said.
Additionally, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang highlighted the Defense Industrial Holding Company’s (DIHOC) capacity to aid in the nation’s economic recovery.
According to her, the Armed Forces might take a more active role in regional industrial initiatives, such as food processing, pharmaceutical manufacture, and car assembly.
“It won’t be unreasonable to anticipate that our Ghanaian Armed Forces will be actively involved in the manufacturing sector, including the assembly of vehicles and the production of pharmaceuticals,” she said.
She also promised that the Council will assist President John Dramani Mahama’s 24-hour economic program, stating that the military’s personnel and technological know-how could complement the plan.
In closing, she urged Ghanaians to see security as a collective duty.
“As they say, security is everyone’s business,” she stated.
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