The Bui Power Authority is collaborating with the Ghana Armed Forces to build a Forward Operating base (FOB) at the Bui Generating Station (BGS) to among others, provide security for the national assets on the Bui Hydroelectric Project Acquired Land of about 1,800 square kilometres.
The 36No facility which will accommodate 150 All Ranks, an administration block, a clinic, a square, an armoury, a recreational centre, a magazine, a bunker, among others, will serve as a strategic location for the Military to conduct operations to provide security and repel threats from neigbouring countries bordering Ghana.
At a brief sod-cutting ceremony to commence work at Bui, the Chief Executive Officer of BPA, Fred Oware, explained that the Government of Ghana’s investment within the BPA Acquired Land makes it necessary for steps to be taken to secure the area, especially ahead of the development of the Bui City concept.
The Bui City concept, which was developed 13 years ago, envisages using portions of the Acquired Land for an industrial and tourism hotspot, agriculture and agro-processing, theme parks, estate development, fisheries, solar projects, among others.
Mr Oware appealed to the communities to extend the same peaceful courtesies and coexistence that the Authority has enjoyed over the years to the Military and assured them that the presence of the military will only strengthen the peace and security within the area.
On his part, the Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, the Guest of Honour, stated that the Army could not leave the nation’s strategic installations exposed to the threats of international terrorists. He said that this was an expanded security operation by the Ghana Armed Forces within the Bui enclave since there was already a limited deployment in the area, at Dokokyina and Bui. He appealed to the communities to cooperate with the military as security is a shared responsibility. He also urged corporate institutions to emulate BPA’s example of supporting the military with operational and logistics requirements to perform its security function better.
The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Thomas Oppong Peprah, indicated that the project should take about six months to complete, and deployment of men will follow immediately. He recounted that the FOB was a result of a year-long discussion with the BPA and applauded BPA’s commitment to security in the enclave.
The brief ceremony was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff; Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, the Chief of the Army Staff; Major General Thomas Oppong Peprah, the Chief of Air Staff; Air Vice Marshal Frank Hansen, BPA Executives and Management, Directors from the Army and Airforce Headquarters, District Chief Executive, Community Chiefs and elders and some BPA staff.
