The Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, has sworn in a new governing board for the Defence Industries Holding Company Limited (DIHOC), reaffirming the government’s resolve to develop a robust defence manufacturing base as a key pillar of the national 24-hour economy agenda.

At the ceremony held on Monday, 7th July at the Ministry of Defence, Dr Boamah tasked the new board—chaired by Deputy Defence Minister Ernest Brogya Genfi—with transforming DIHOC into a strategic industrial hub for Ghana’s defence and national development.

“This is not just another ceremony. It is a milestone moment. DIHOC must move from potential to productivity—from vision to visible outcomes,” the Minister asserted.

Dr Boamah described DIHOC as a sovereign industrial instrument, initially envisioned by the late President John Evans Atta Mills and subsequently empowered by former President John Dramani Mahama, who has identified the company as central to several of his flagship initiatives.

The Minister called on the board to leverage DIHOC’s potential to meet both Ghana’s defence needs and broader socio-economic objectives.

A major highlight of his remarks was the announcement of a proposed Defence Industrial Complex (DIC), to be developed around DIHOC.

The DIC is expected to deliver on key strategic goals such as operational independence, emergency readiness, peacekeeping support, economic diversification, and job creation.

Dr Boamah further urged the board to collaborate with other ministries and uphold the highest standards of governance, noting: “You are stewards of an institution that holds the promise of industrialising our defence, empowering our people, creating jobs, and protecting our future.”