Major General Kenneth P. Ekman, the Director of US Africa Command (AFRICOM) Coordination Element (ACE), told the Daily Graphic in an exclusive interview that many people had been asking questions on the subject but contrary to that, he said, the United States had no such intention.

Rather, he added, what it intended to do was to reposition some forces in the region just as it was doing in Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Chad.

Major General Ekman, who is based in the Nigerien capital, Niamey, to oversee the complete, safe and orderly withdrawal of over a thousand US forces and equipment, accorded Graphic Online the exclusive interview during a visit to Ghana after visiting neighbouring Nigeria.

He said his visit to Ghana underscored the strength of the US-Ghana partnership and reaffirmed shared values and commitment to ongoing collaboration to ensure stability and prosperity in West Africa.

Major General Ekman has so far met with government officials and the military leadership, including the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Lt Gen. Thomas Oppong-Peprah, on shared visions for future bilateral engagements, coordination and interoperability in Africa.

The Director of ACE told Graphic Online's Augustina Tawiah at the US Embassy in Accra last Tuesday that US security relations with Ghana were now transitioning, with less emphasis on training to more logistical support.

To this end, he disclosed that the US would deliver a number of military equipment to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in a few months.

He explained that the idea to support GAF with military equipment resulted from discussions he had with his Ghanaian counterparts on the form of partnership the US could build with Ghana.

Maj. Gen. Ekman pointed out that the US would hold a similar exercise in the maritime domain since Ghana was a maritime power.

Major General Kenneth P. Ekman, Director, US Africa Command  Coordination Element, explaining issues to Graphic Online's Augustina Tawiah. Picture: DOUGLAS ANANE-FRIMPONG

Visit

Touching on his visit to Ghana, Maj. Gen. Ekman said it was also to discuss regional security, counter-terrorism and Ghana’s ability to export security in many ways outside its borders.

“The primary focus of my visit here, is how Ghana exerts its role and strength to contribute to a regional approach against Sahelian base extremist organisations. Your leaders have gone over some of their plans for this.

They've talked about things like border security and capacities, where they still need more support. And they talked about training. So, getting that partnership right now in Ghana, that's the primary focus of this visit,” the Director of ACE said.

Maj. Gen. Ekman, however, expressed disappointment at how the sub-region was increasingly being disintegrated security-wise and diplomatically, adding that his goal during the visit was to meet Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of Defence of countries that surround the Sahel on how transparently the US could work with them to see what might work better in dealing with the insurgency and militant activities in the sub-region.