Ghana has committed 205 soldiers to support the proposed ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia.
President Nana Akufo-Addo who authorised the deployment said the troops would be backed by the appropriate logistical equipment.
A statement signed by Eugene Arhin, the acting communications director at the presidency, said:
“ECOWAS has decided as a result of the refusal of President Yahya Jammeh to accept the verdict of the Gambian people in the elections of December 1, 2016, to deploy troops from its member states to The Gambia with immediate effect.
“The objective of is to create an enabling environment doe the effective enforcement of the rule of law, and, in accordance with the Constitution of The Gambia, facilitate the inauguration of the President-Elect, Adama Barrow, on Thursday, January 19, 2017.â€
The move comes as Yahya Jammeh remains defiant and has refused efforts to get him to hand over power peacefully to Barrow.
ECOWAS leaders gave Jammeh until midnight today to hand over power, but he refused to comply.
Troops from Senegal and neighbouring countries have converged on the Gambia border and are seeking UN backing to intervene militarily to eject Jammeh, who has ruled Gambia since taking power in a bloodless coup in 1994.
Meanwhile, thousands of UK and Dutch tourists are being evacuated from the tiny West African state, which is popular with European holidaymakers because of its beaches.