Three new ships are being secured for the Navy to help it better protect the country’s territorial waters. The vessels will come in very handy especially once commercial drilling of crude oil begins. The Navy can effectively ward off any threats to production or transportation. The head of the Western Naval Command, Commodore Timothy S. Appiah, who disclosed this to Joy News, said the ships are being manufactured in three countries; China, Germany and Korea and should be in the country in the next 26 months. Joy News has learnt the new vessels are badly needed as the current navy fleet is seriously depleted and in no position to defend the country’s waters. The Navy is thus unable to conduct the necessary patrols thereby worsening Ghana’s vulnerability to illegal activities. The situation becomes even more worrying at a time when maritime experts believe the West African coast is gradually becoming an attractive destination for pirates because of the lack of high sea patrols. Commodore Appiah, however, said despite their inadequacies, the Navy is leaving nothing to chance. He was speaking to Joy News at the end of a training of naval officers off the West African Coast by a US-led mission, known as the African Partnership Station, which falls under AFRICOM. About 64 officers received both theoretical and practical training on how to better protect their territorial waters against pirates, illegal fishing, drug trafficking and illegal oil bunkering. The training centered largely on four key areas including maritime domain awareness, how to conduct vessel inspections and law enforcement on the high seas, professional development, search and rescue and small boat maintenance. Meanwhile, the Commander of the US Africa Command, General Ward, has reiterated the commitment of his government to assist in improving the professionalism of the Navy. Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana