The Minister for Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, has said that the Defence Indus­tries Holding Company (DIHOC) Limited stands in readiness to partner government in the execution of some major projects in the country.

According to him, the Compa­ny represents a new era in Ghana’s development, positioning the Armed Forces as key drivers of industrial and economic transformation as the DIHOC operates with an expand­ed mandate under the Reset Ghana agenda.

For example, he said the company was partnering the Ghana Bauxite Company in a 180 kilometre road works on the main Awaso-Takoradi corridor, which serves as the primary route for transporting Ghana’s bauxite to the Takoradi port.

“The Ghana Armed Forces, through the DIHOC will form strategic partnerships to ensure the accelerated execution of the six-lane Accra-Kumasi expressway…within a 24-Hour Economy,” Dr Boamah said.

He made this known at the Presi­dency in Accra yesterday when he ad­dressed the press at the Government Accountability Series.

As part of Ghana’s commitment to food sovereignty in general and in the case of the Ministry of Defence’s sustainable supply of food for troops, he said DIHOC was working to­wards large-scale commercial farming projects aligned with the Feed Ghana Programme.

“Let me be clear, DIHOC is laying the foundation for a resilient, indus­trialised Ghana that can feed itself, empower its people, and thrive in a competitive global landscape. Egypt has successfully done it in North Afri­ca; so, can Ghana do it in West Africa. Yes, we can!” he stressed.

He said the decision to reposition DIHOC as a key driver of industrial and economic transformation would once again demonstrate the military engineering expertise and longstanding commitment to supporting national development.

A limited liability company, the DI­HOC, envisioned under late President John Evans Atta Mills, has a mandate to actively embark on industrial devel­opment projects to enhance national socioeconomic development.

On the fight against illegal mining, known as galamsey, Dr Boamah said government has demonstrated politi­cal will in the fight against the menace.

He said though Ghana is not out of the woods and there was much more to be done, he said the Ghana Armed Forces has played a significant role in the steady progress that has had been made so far.

“The Ghana Armed Forces has played a supporting role in the fight against illegal mining. We are not out of the woods yet as a nation, but there is hope because there is a political will at the very top,” Dr Boamah remarked.

According to Dr Boamah, through the intervention of the military, sever­al forests which were hitherto invaded by illegal miners have been reclaimed.

As part of new strategies and re­forms, he said government’s compre­hensive review of its anti-illegal min­ing strategy has resulted in reforms to make the fight more coordinated and sustainable.

On general security in the coun­try, he said Ghana is safe, stable and peaceful and ready for President John Mahama’s reset agenda.

“While the overall internal and external security of Ghana remains stable, we acknowledge that the situa­tion in Bawku and Alavanyo and their immediate surroundings remains quite volatile. The Ghana Armed Forces, is actively monitoring developments and have put in place robust mechanisms to ensure any potential escalation is swiftly contained in the interest of a peaceful and long-lasting resolution of the conflicts through dialogue,” he said.