Ghanaian Firm to Assemble Defence and Security Equipment Locally

Petram Fortis, a Ghanaian Company operating in the defense and security industry, is in partnership with manufacturing firms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the establishment of a local plant in Ghana to manufacture defense and security logistics for the sector.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Petram Fortis, Arthur Kweku Ackah-Yensu, who disclosed this to journalists on the sidelines of the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEC) at Burma Camp said the talks with the government and other relevant stakeholders on the issue have reached  advance stages.

“We have been in talks on this for a while. The idea is to localize some of the manufacturing companies, so the next page would be to have some plants here in Ghana to manufacture vehicles, small arms, communication equipment, weapons and everything that they require,” he stated.

Adding that “we have done our lead assessment, done the first stage of work and again some of the equipment that we might or want to manufacture.”

Petram Fortis is a Ghanaian-owned defense company that started forming partnerships with established companies across the world around 2016. It aims to provide top standard and high-end services to the Ghana Armed Forces and other Armed Forces in the sub-region.

“So it was realized that most of the companies serving the Ghana Armed Forces, that is the Airforce, Navy and the defense company were foreign, so we decided to provide same services that the foreign companies provide – but as a local company, so that is what we do primarily as Petram Fortis,” Ackah-Yensu stated.

“We are in partnership with leading communication builders in the world, vehicle manufacturers in the world, electronics, we have everything in our team. Weapons, ammunitions, we partner with most companies across the world to enable us to support the Ghana Defense Industry”.

The CEO is hopeful that when the discussions are concluded and the manufacturing begins, Petram Fortis would be able to use its facilities in Ghana to support the sub-region which would mean that Ghana would indirectly be supporting the sub-region with defense equipment.

“We formed compound partnership across the world and these partnerships are not just any company but world-recognized companies. So just like VW and stuff were planted here and nobody seems to mind the local companies and they still buy the VW anyways, Mercedes anyways, is the same thing we would be doing. We would not re-invent the vehicle, we would just do what for instance Czech does in South Africa and bring it here. Same quality, same performance, a little cheaper because we are manufacturing locally and the performance is still going to be the same.

“So we done forming partnerships with the manufacturers and technology. We’ve also partner with big finance institutions to provide the funding to enable us to buy the things they require and we wouldn’t be stopped by cost.

On cost and affordability, Ackah-Yensu stated that when all is set and done, they are setting up a system to provide the security agency with financial options

“So we provide the equipment, if they really want it but don’t have the money for it we can provide a stipend for them and structure it for a period of time to be paying for it. This would enable our defense industry to irrespective of the cost, get the right equipment for them to be able to make their way.

“For us, it doesn’t make a difference but for the Ghanaian markets, it does make a huge difference because we are creating employment, we are bringing knowledge transfer to Ghana and then the revoluntary cost we provide the Ghanaian market very well in the sub-region that is the skills, employment, and the vehicle,” he revealed.

By Jeorge Wilson Kingson || Ghananewsonline.com.gh