The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has assured the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) of his Ministry’s readiness to work closely with the Authority to ensure the safety of Ghana’s maritime space.
That, he said, was necessary to ensure that businesses thrive in the country to boost economic growth and create job opportunities for the youth.
He pledged the government’s support to enforce maritime laws, improve security and enhance regulatory compliance to attract more shipping lines and increase economic opportunities for the country. “We’ll be with you to tackle and handle the challenges and to see how we can make Ghana’s Maritime Authority one of the best in the world. The legislation is there. All that’s left with is how to enforce, inspect and ensure that our marine sector is safe.”
Mr. Nikpe, who is also the Member of Parliament for Saboba in the Northern Region, said these during a working visit to the GMA in Accra. The visit afforded the Minister the opportunity to discuss legislative improvements, enforcement of strategies, and infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening Ghana’s maritime sector. He highlighted the critical role of the maritime industry in global trade, with over 80 per cent of the world’s merchandise being transported by sea.
Ghana’s strategic position in the sub-region, he stressed, provided a significant opportunity to boost the country’s maritime economy if the necessary structures were strengthened.
Mr. Nikpe said the congestion in Ghana’s coastal road networks and its attendant risks to life and property and its negative impact on business necessitated the urgent improvement of inland water transport as an alternative means of transportation. “Our coastal line is choked when it comes to traffic, meaning that we have to take some of the traffic off the roads to our waters. If they are not safe, I am not sure we will be able to do that.”
Despite the economic challenges inherited by the current administration, the Government, he asserted, remained committed to creating jobs and expanding opportunities, with the GMA playing a crucial role in that vision, the Minister said.
Mr. Nikpe encouraged the staff to support their new Director-General in achieving the Authority’s mandate.
Director-General of GMA, Navy Captain Kamal-Deen Ali (Rtd.), expressed gratitude for the minister’s visit and reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s maritime sector. He said the GMA was working on several initiatives to boost employment, including the Crew and Maritime Jobs Creation Drive, aimed at increasing job opportunities for Ghanaian seafarers.
Director-General said the GMA was in the process of upgrading its maritime surveillance systems to enhance security and monitoring within Ghana’s territorial waters. The new technology, he indicated, would allow the Authority to effectively monitor up to 200 nautical miles within Ghana’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
Dr. Ali said Ghana was recognized globally for its efforts in protecting the marine environment and pledged the Authority’s continuous enforcement of strict environmental regulations to sustain the gains made.
The Director, Technical at GMA, Captain Inusah Abdul Nasir made a presentation highlighting the Authority’s mandate and key initiatives. He emphasised the need for Ghana to formulate and enforce maritime laws that aligned with global standards to maintain its position on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) whitelist.
He touched on the Authority’s efforts to promote employment for Ghanaian seafarers through agreements with major flag states. “We have signed MoUs with major flag states for recognition of the Ghanian seafarer’s certificate. Through our efforts, Ghana was put on the whitelist of the IMO, which means that our certificates are capable to be used for special purposes. Ghanaian seafarers can now access jobs on ships of major flags,” he added.
He said the GMA, in collaboration with the Ghana Navy and Marine Police, conducted regular patrols to combat illicit activities such as piracy and illegal fishing to enhance the safety and security of Ghana’s sea ports.
