Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee has expressed concern over the high attrition of trained pilots in the Ghana Air Force, attributing it to inadequate aircraft.
The Committee asserts that air combat capability is crucial to enhance the surveillance of the country’s airspace, particularly in light of terrorism in the West African sub-region hence the pressing need to procure additional logistics, including executive aircraft, fighter jets, and helicopters, for rescue and defense purposes.
Expressing dismay at this troubling trend, Ophelia Mensah, the vice chairperson of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, called for immediate measures to address the situation during the consideration of the budget estimates for the Ministry of Defence.
“During the committee’s meeting to review the budget estimate for the Defence Ministry, several observations and recommendations were made. One key recommendation, which I wish to highlight to the House, is the necessity to acquire more aircraft for the Ministry. It is crucial to note that air combat capability is vital for strengthening the surveillance of the country’s airspace, especially in the West African sub-region in the wake of recent incidents.”
“The Ghana Air Force, therefore, needs to procure additional logistics, such as executive aircraft, fighter jets, and helicopters for rescue and defence purposes. It is a matter of concern that the Ghana Armed Forces have recently experienced attrition of trained pilots, making it imperative for the Ghana Air Force to take immediate steps to halt this phenomenon.”
