Pirate attack: Prioritise purchase of patrol vessels for Ghana Navy - Minority to govt - Channel1 News

The Minority Caucus has urged the government to speed up the procurement of two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). This will help the Ghana Navy tackle piracy and protect national waters.

This request follows a suspected pirate attack on the fishing vessel MENGXIN 1. The incident occurred on March 27, 2025.

A press release from the Ghana Armed Forces on March 29 reported that seven armed individuals boarded the vessel in Ghanaian waters. The pirates fired warning shots and gathered the crew on deck. They confiscated mobile phones and held the crew hostage for three hours. The Captain, Chief Mate, and Chief Engineer, all Chinese nationals, were kidnapped and remain missing.

Rev. John Ntim Fordjour is the Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament. He spoke at a press conference on April 1 about this urgent situation. He emphasized that a full investigation is needed to catch the pirates.

Fordjour also called for better resources for the Ghana Navy. He noted that previous efforts to procure two OPVs in 2024 were halted due to opposition from the NDC. This has left the Navy vulnerable to attacks.

He expressed concern that pirates might exploit these weaknesses, threatening maritime security further. Fordjour urged both the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Defence to prioritize acquiring OPVs again. He asked them to restart the process for parliamentary approval and procurement.

For more details, read the full Minority Press Statement on Security.
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