Ghana has deployed 54 military engineers to Jamaica to assist with reconstruction efforts following Hurricane Melissa, which killed at least 45 people and left widespread destruction, Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
The personnel, drawn from the Ghana Armed Forces’ 14 Engineer Brigade, are expected to support infrastructure restoration, temporary shelter construction and community rebuilding initiatives.
The deployment follows a formal request from the Jamaican government and is being supported by the United States, which provided a C-17 aircraft to transport the contingent and its equipment, the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday.
The statement described the operation as part of Ghana’s commitment to international solidarity and South–South cooperation.
It added that President John Dramani Mahama described the mission as both humanitarian and technical in nature, highlighting the engineers’ role as representatives of Ghana abroad.
The ministry also cited comments from Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who emphasized that Ghana’s foreign policy prioritizes support for nations in crisis.
He referred to previous humanitarian contributions to Palestine, Cuba and Sudan, and expressed appreciation to the U.S. government for facilitating the airlift.
The U.S. Embassy in Ghana confirmed its role in the operation. “We are honored to provide airlift – a U.S. Air Force C-17 – to support Ghana’s mission to deliver essential equipment, cargo, and personnel to Jamaica’s relief operations,” the embassy said in a social media post.
The Ghanaian contingent will coordinate with Jamaican authorities and international partners throughout the recovery phase.
On October 27, Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Jamaica as the most powerful ever to directly impact the island.
Current estimates place the total damage and loss between $8 billion and $15 billion – nearly a quarter of Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP), said Dennis Zulu, UN Resident Coordinator for Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos.
The hurricane affected more than 626,000 people and claimed 45 lives, underscoring its profound human toll, according to the UN.
