The Ghana Armed Forces in March 2024 participated in Exercise Sea Lion 2024, a timely weeklong maritime security exercise developed to sharpen the nation’s maritime security skills and Counterterrorism vigilance. Ghana’s Chief of the Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Thomas Oppong-Peprah, stated in opening remarks that the exercise seeks to build interoperability for future operations against continuous security threats such as piracy and terrorism.
“The recent spate of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and other transnational crimes at sea has made it imperative for the Ghana Navy to test its operational readiness and resilience in confronting these criminals,” Peprah expressed. There were 22 piracy raids in the Gulf of Guinea in 2023, an increase slightly from 19 in 2022, but down from 35 in 2021 and 81 in 2020, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). Officials conveyed six piracy incidents in the first quarter of 2024 compared to five in the exact period of 2023.
“While we welcome the lessening of incidents, piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea remains a threat,” IMB Director Michael Howlett stated in a bureau report. “Continued and robust regional and international naval existence to respond to these incidents and to protect life at sea is crucial.”
The exercise included at-sea fleet manoeuvres, joint exercises to improve interoperability, counter-terrorism and hostage rescue operations. The Ghana Army’s Special Operations Brigade, the Ghana Navy’s Special Boat Squadron and the Ghana Air Force’s fighter squadron partook in a simulated exercise based on a technique in which a regional minister and his family were abducted by terrorists and held hostage in their house before being rescued at sea.
During the exercise, Ghanaian Navy ships Volta and Ankobra cruised alongside the United States Navy ship USS Hershel “Woody” Williams to the equator, a century-old practice known as “crossing the line.” “Travelling the equator at the centre of the earth is not only a nautical feat but also a symbolic juncture of unity, as we transcend boundaries and enter fresh horizons together,” stated Ghana’s Chief of the Naval Staff Rear Adm. Issah Adam Yakubu at the exercise’s closing ceremony.
During that exercise, two U.S. Sailors ventured on Ghana Navy vessels while the U.S. vessel hosted five Ghanaian Sailors. “It was … amazing to witness our two Sailors come back with big smiles and great tales to tell about their time on their respective ships,” stated Capt. Amy Lindahl, commanding officer of Hershel “Woody” Williams.
In closing statements, Yakubu insisted all service members acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions of those who performed before them. “Our achievements today are built upon the foundations laid by those who have devoted their lives to protect and defend our dear country, and we praise their legacy and humbly carry the torch forward, supporting the traditions of excellence that define our dignified profession,” he stated. Military officials conducted the previous Sea Lion exercise in 2020.
