President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to deploy members of Ghana’s 48th Engineers Regiment to assist with rebuilding efforts in hurricane-stricken Jamaica. The unit, composed of highly skilled engineers, masons, and carpenters, will help construct makeshift shelters for displaced communities.
The President made the announcement during his keynote address at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Manchester Declaration, which marked the Fifth Pan-African Congress in 1945.
President Mahama highlighted the importance of Pan-African solidarity in times of crisis, noting that Ghana had already dispatched essential relief items—including rice, medication, blankets, mattresses, and plastic bowls—to both Jamaica and Cuba. He explained that a recent conversation with Caribbean leaders, including Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, revealed the urgent need for shelters to protect people from harsh weather conditions.
“Out of our Pan-African inspiration, Ghana has mobilized resources to support our comrades in Jamaica and Cuba. But the extent of the destruction requires further assistance,” President Mahama said, urging African nations to contribute materials such as tarpaulins, blankets, and other necessities.
In attendance at the event was former President John Agyekum Kufuor, alongside other dignitaries. President Mahama’s call underscores Ghana’s commitment to Pan-African unity, emphasizing that solidarity and mutual aid remain central to the continent’s shared values.
