Parliament has okayed the contract agreements for the acquisition of four helicopters and one presidential jet for the Ghana Air Force.
The first agreement was a contract between the government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Defence, and Airbus Helicopter (SAS), France, for an amount of €125.97 million for the supply of one H160 and three H175 helicopters for the Ghana Air Force.
The second was the sale and purchase contract agreement between the government of Ghana and Dassault Aviation, France, for an amount of $60.68 million for the acquisition of one Falcon 6X for the GAF.
The government will fully finance the purchase of the multipurpose helicopters over a four-year period, with payment scheduled to begin in December 2025 with an initial installment of €62.5 million.
It will be followed by subsequent payments in May 2026, March 2027, and December 2028.
The agreements were presented to Parliament by the Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, on December 3, 2025, and it was referred to the Committee on Defence and Interior for consideration and report.
Justification for agreements
Presenting the committee’s report and urging the House to adopt it, the Chairman of the committee, James Agalga, said Article 210 of the Constitution mandates the Ghana Armed Forces to be combat-ready at all times in terms of its personnel and equipment.
He said a considerable portion of the GAF fleet had reached advanced age, with many platforms currently grounded due to extensive maintenance challenges.
“In this regard, it is necessary that the state adequately equip the Ghana Armed Forces from time to time with modern and sophisticated equipment.
“Additionally, acquisition of new aircraft forms part of the broader retooling and comprehensive modernisation agenda for the Ghana Air Force in particular to ensure safety, Efficiency, and strategic mobility for both national leadership and military operations,” he said.
He explained that while upfront cost might be significant, modern aircraft reduce long-term maintenance expenses compared to ageing feet.
Design of the aircraft
Mr Agalga told the House that the committee observed that the proposed four helicopters and one Executive jet, together with Associated support and services, were obtained from Airbus Helicopters (SAS) and Dassault Aviation.
The committee further observed that the proposed helicopters and jets were designed for versatility, offering superior performance in executive and troop transport, logistics support, and humanitarian operations.
“Additionally, these aircraft have extended range, payload capacity, and modern avionics, which gives them an edge over the previous generation, which will enable rapid deployment in support of GAF’s counterterrorism, border, and maritime security operations as well as executive travels,” he said.
Recommendation
The MP for Bulsa North said the committee advised that adequate funding be allocated not only for procurement but also for pilot training, maintenance support systems, and associated infrastructure to ensure the aircraft delivered optimal performance and long-term value in both security and executive operations.
“The committee recommends that the government continue to strengthen inter-agency coordination throughout the procurement and implementation process to ensure transparency, cost effectiveness and operational efficiency,” he said.
The proposed multipurpose/multirole helicopters require a production lead time of approximately three years before delivery can be made.
He pointed out that the long-term economic benefits of procuring the new aircraft fleet outweighed the associated cost.
“It was evident that continued reliance on the ageing Mi-17 helicopter fleet and the Falcon 900EX aircraft has become financially unsustainable and operationally inefficient for the Ghana Air Force.
“Over a projected 15-year service life, the total lifecycle cost of the proposed new fleet is estimated to be 30-40 per cent lower than the cost of maintaining and operating the existing ageing aircraft,” he said.
Minority support agreements
Supporting the motion for the House to approve the contract agreements, the Ranking Member on the Defence Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, said the Minority supported retooling efforts to enhance the air capabilities of the Ghana Air Force.
He said since it was a need of yesterday, today, and years to come, the Minority supported it.
He, however, recalled how the NDC Minority in the past waged a propaganda to undermine every effort to equip the GAF.
“Mr Speaker, enough of the politics, and I believe that this is a new dawn and a time that has come that the opposition side of Parliament is doing the patriotic thing of supporting what is good for the state and what is good for the Ghana Armed Forces.
“We will put the safety of the President as a priority so that he can safely travel and conduct business on behalf of the state and return safely in a most patriotic way,” he said.
Source: graphic.com.gh
