Ghana's DIHC to manufacture equipment

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ACCRA, Ghana, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Ghana's Defense Industrial Holding Co. is to manufacture clothing and equipment for the military.

Ghanaian Minister for Defense Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith said the DIHC program in Kumasi would begin by manufacturing uniforms and eventually move on to light equipment.

He said the eventual goal is for the Ghana armed forces to acquire most of their equipment locally to generate employment opportunities in the country.

Smith stated that armed forces' recent foreign armaments purchases included six vessels from China to provide surveillance of Ghana's coastal waters, The Ghana News Agency reported.

Other recent purchases included helmets, parachutes and mechanized equipment, along with 295 new vehicles for the military that would be distributed to garrisons nationwide. Another defense initiative would improve the armed forces' medical reception stations to improve services.

Smith also urged the armed forces to collaborate with other security agencies to ensure successful and peaceful national elections in December.