By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah
Tema, April 03, GNA – Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali,the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), has paid an official visit to the Regional Maritime University (RMU) to discuss key opportunities and challenges facing the maritime sector.
The visit was aimed at strengthening partnership between the two institutions in enhancing maritime education, training, and regulatory compliance in Ghana.
Dr. Ali, speaking with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during the visit, said the visit formed part of strengthening ties with key agencies including RMU in alignment with the president’s vision to enhance Ghana’s maritime industry.
He stressed that the GMA and RMU were interdependent institutions whose collaboration was vital for the growth and sustainability of Ghana’s maritime industry.
He also acknowledged the crucial role RMU plays in training professionals for the industry, emphasising the need for a seamless working relationship to ensure Ghana remains a strong maritime hub in the world.
Dr. Ali said: “When it comes to seafaring and issues that are related to ship, we have the authority to issue certificate of competence so though they might get academic certificate, ultimately, they are not employable and they’re not fit for the industry, unless we issue them that certificate.”
He added: “So what it means is that between us, we are highly interdependent, they train the competencies required for the maritime industry, we also certify the competency that they train for the maritime industry.”
The GMA Director- General said Ghana’s reputation as a hub for top-notch seafarers was rooted in its rich maritime culture, expertise, experience, and industry, adding that the country’s seafarers have gained international recognition for their exceptional skills and professionalism.
He said the president’s vision was to create jobs for the Ghanaian youth, noting that the maritime industry provides strategic vast opportunities such as seafaring to tap in, as according to him, Ghana’s seafaring industry was poised for growth, with many opportunities available in the field for young people to pursue careers in.
Dr. Jethro W. Brooks Junior, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of RMU, expressed gratitude to the commitment of the Director-General of GMA to supporting the university and highlighted RMU’s ongoing efforts to invest in modern training facilities to stay ahead of industry trends.
He stated that the number of cadets has increased, necessitating additional dormitories to accommodate them, stating that the construction of some were already underway.
He further expressed gratitude to the Minister of Transport for meeting with the school authorities to discuss how best to help it fulfil its mandate.
GNA
LS/BM