By Albert Oppong-Ansah, GNA
Accra, Aug. 17, GNA – Inadequate funding is emerging as a major obstacle to Ghana’s efforts to improve transparency and accountability in the fisheries sector under the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), stakeholders have said.
Although Ghana formally committed to implementing the global initiative in 2024 to promote openness in fisheries governance, experts say progress could be hampered unless the National Multi-Stakeholder Group (NMSG), the body overseeing the process, receives adequate financial support.
Dr Godfred Ameyaw Asiedu, FiTI Regional Coordinator for Anglophone Africa, said the NMSG had made significant progress despite resource constraints, including supporting the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture to develop an online Fisheries Information System.
The platform was launched during the “Our Oceans Conference” held in Kenya in June this year, expected to provide public access to key information on Ghana’s marine fisheries sector.
However, Dr Ameyaw noted that limited funding had restricted the pace and scope of the group’s work.
“We could have done more if we had adequate funding,” he told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at the weekend.
He said a FiTI Lead Ministry and National Focal Point had already been designated, Terms of Reference approved and a workplan developed to guide the implementation of the initiative.
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative is a global multi-stakeholder framework that requires participating countries to publish information such as fishing licences, vessel ownership, fish catches and actions taken against illegal fishing operators.
The initiative aims to make fisheries information publicly available so citizens can hold governments and industry players accountable for how marine resources are managed.
A transparency assessment conducted in Ghana found that substantial fisheries information existed within government institutions but remained fragmented and largely inaccessible to the public.
Stakeholders believe improved access to such information could strengthen efforts to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, a major contributor to declining fish stocks and revenue losses in the sector.
Mr Philip Prah, an official of Friends of the Nation, a non-profit socio-environmental advocacy organisation, and a member of the NMSG, said funding challenges were affecting public awareness activities needed to make transparency reforms meaningful.
“Even if the information becomes available, government must support the NMSG to create public awareness and educate citizens on how to use that information,” he said.
Mr Prah suggested that proceeds from fines imposed on fishing vessels that violated regulations could be channelled to support the work of the group.
He said previous assessments had shown that some critical fisheries data already existed but was not readily accessible to ordinary citizens, journalists, traders and fishing communities.
Lessons from the Seychelles, the first country to attain FiTI compliance status, indicate that sustained government support is critical for success.
Ms Nathaniel Morel, Programme Development Officer at the Blue Economy Department of Seychelles, said government funding enabled the country’s National Stakeholder Group to undertake outreach programmes and simplify technical fisheries information for public consumption.
“The compliance status means that we have most of our information available online, while technical reports have been simplified and shared through social media, videos and other forms of communication for different audiences,” she said.
She said the Seychelles Government stepped in to support the national transparency process when funding became a challenge.
In Ghana, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister, Madam Emelia Arthur, says the government recognised the importance of transparency in the sector and had committed to supporting the initiative.
She told the GNA that part of the Ministry’s Goods and Services allocation would be made available for NMSG activities.
The Minister also disclosed that discussions were underway with Norway to revive a fisheries development funding mechanism that could support some operations of the NMSG.
“When we said reset, reset also means transparency,” she said.
However, stakeholders say the absence of a clear timeline for the release of funding remains a concern as the country seeks to strengthen transparency and sustainability in managing its marine resources.
Experts warn that without adequate investment in transparency mechanisms and public engagement, Ghana risks slowing efforts to address overfishing, rebuild depleted fish stocks and secure the long-term future of the fisheries sector.
They said funding the FiTI was not merely about supporting another policy initiative.
It is about protecting food security, livelihoods and the future of fish on the plates of millions of Ghanaians.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Albert Oppong-Ansah
Email: [email protected]