Chief of Naval Staff (Ghana)

Chief of the Naval staff
Naval Ensign of Ghana
Incumbent Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing since 24 March 2025
Ghana Navy
Style	Admiral/Sir
Reports to	Chief of Defence
Seat	Navy HQ, Burma Camp
Appointer	President of Ghana
Term length	No fixed length
Formation	January 1959
First holder	D. A. Foreman

The Chief of the Naval Staff is the head of the Naval operations and the administrative head in the Ghana Navy. The current Chief of Naval Staff is Vice Admiral Issah Yakubu.

List of officeholders

No.	Picture	Chief of Naval Staff	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Ref.
1		Foreman, D.Commodore D. A. Foreman (1910–1967)	Jan 1959	Jun 1961	2 years, 5 months	[1]
2		Hansen, DavidRear Admiral David Animle Hansen (1923–2008) First Ghanaian Chief of Naval Staff	Sep 1961	Jun 1967	5 years, 9 months	[1]
3		Hansen, DavidAir Vice Marshal Michael Otu (1925–2006)	Jun 1967	Mar 1968	9 months	[1]
4		Quaye, PhilemonCommodore Philemon Quaye (1924–2010)	Apr 1968	May 1972	4 years, 1 month	[1]
5		Amedume, JoyCommodore Joy Amedume (?–1979)	May 1972	Jan 1973	8 months	[1]
6		Dzang, ChemogohCommodore Chemogoh Kevin Dzang (1941–2009)	Feb 1973	Aug 1974	1 year, 6 months	[1]
7		Bedu-Addo, G.Commodore G. Bedu-Addo	Aug 1974	Jul 1975	10 months	[1]
(6)		Dzang, ChemogohRear Admiral Chemogoh Kevin Dzang (1941–2009)	Jul 1975	Jun 1977	1 year, 11 months	[1]
(5)		Amedume, JoyRear Admiral Joy Amedume (?–1979)	Jun 1977	Jun 1979	2 years	[1]
8		Dadzie, KenCommander Ken Dadzie	Jun 1979	Jun 1979	0 months	[1] [2]
9		Obimpeh, StephenCommodore Stephen Obimpeh (born 1941)	Jun 1979	Dec 1981	2 years, 5 months	[1]
10		Boateng, J.Captain J. W. Boateng	Jan 1982	Mar 1982	2 months	[1]
11		Oppong, J.Commodore J. K. Oppong	Mar 1982	Jul 1985	3 years, 4 months	[1]
12		Ohene-Kwapong, BenjaminRear Admiral Benjamin Ohene-Kwapong	Jul 1985	Jun 1990	4 years, 11 months	[1]
13		Annan, TomRear Admiral Tom Annan	Jun 1990	Sept 1996	6 years, 3 months	[1]
14		Owusu-Ansah, E.Vice Admiral E. O. Owusu-Ansah	Oct 1996	Mar 2001	4 years, 6 months	[1]
15		Gbenah, JohnRear Admiral John Gbenah	Mar 2001	June 2005	4 years, 3 months	[1] [3]
16		Gbenah, JohnRear Admiral Arthur Nuno	May 2005	Mar 2009	3 years, 10 months	[1] [4]
17		Quashie, MatthewRear Admiral Matthew Quashie (1951–2020)	Apr 2009	Mar 2013	3 years, 11 months	[5] [6]
18		Biekro, GeoffreyRear Admiral Geoffrey Mawuli Biekro (born 1952)	Mar 2013	15 January 2016	2 years, 10 months	[7]
19		Faidoo, KofiRear Admiral Peter Faidoo	15 January 2016	21 December 2018	2 years, 11 months	[8]
20		Amoama, SethRear Admiral Seth Amoama	21 December 2018	5 February 2021	2 years, 1 month	[9]
21		Yakubu, I.Vice Admiral Issah Yakubu	5 February 2021	24 March 2025	4 years, 8 months	[10] [11]
22		Bessing, Godwin LivinusRear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing	24 March 2025	Incumbent	6 months	[12]

References

1. "Past Naval Chiefs". gaf.mil.gh/. Ghana Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
2. "Ghana News, Volumes 8". Ghana News. Washington, D.C. : Embassy of Ghana: 3. 1979.
3. "Immediate Past Chief of Naval Staff - Ghana Navy". Official website. Ghana Armed Forces. 22 April 2005. Archived from the original on 24 August 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
4. "Chief of Naval Staff - Ghana Navy". Official website. Ghana Armed Forces. 21 May 2005. Archived from the original on 27 August 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
5. "Vice Admiral Mathew Quashie hands over office of CNS". www.gaf.mil.gh. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
6. "New CDS And Service Commanders Appointed". ghanareporters.com. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
7. "Profile of Rear Admiral GM Biekro Chief of the Naval Staff – Ghana Navy". Official website. Ghana Armed Forces. 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
8. "Meeting with the new Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Navy Staff". Embassy of France Accra. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
9. "Akufo-Addo appoints new chiefs of Naval, Air Staff". GhanaWeb. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
10. "Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe - Africa visits Accra for Obangame Express 2021 Open". United States Navy. 19 March 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
11. Iddi Yire (24 March 2025). "President lauds outgoing CDS, Service Chiefs". Ghana News Agency. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
12. "President Mahama promotes new Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs". Graphic Online. Graphic Communications Group Ltd. 24 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.