Accra, April 1, GNA- Dr.Jethro W. Brooks Junior, Acting Vice Chancellor of the Regional Maritime University (RMU) has underscored the importance of the maritime sector and its related activities to the social and economic development of a country.
He said the sector was important for maintaining a vibrant national economy and securing that domain must engage the attention of states in the Gulf of Guinea.
Dr Brooks was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Maritime ASffairs and Security Course for professionals in the maritime sector at the RMU in Accra.
The training, the second in the series of the Support for West Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy (SWAIMS) project being sponsored by the Europenan Union, is aimed at building the capacity and competencies of staff and personnel of the maritime-focused agencies and institutions across the West African Region to combat crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.
Dr Brooks said activities within the maritime sector involved a variety of stakeholders and a range of responsibilities that were important to any concept of collective maritime security and safety.
“Maritime activities also require stakeholders to coordinate and communicate in ways that promote maritime security and governance,” he added.
The Vice Chancellor said that one of the major obstacles to harnessing the huge resources of the maritime sector for rapid economic development was the growing number of transnational organized crimes, including piracy, kidnappings of crew for ransom, illegal fishing, illicit trade, and smuggling.
He stated that winning the fight against maritime crimes required well trained professionals, backed by dedicated resources and legal frameworks, and this could only be possible when all stakeholders appreciated and addressed the problem from a common viewpoint.
“Creating a common understanding requires training together in ways that was relevant to the context of the environment and delivered by the people with vast experience and knowledge,” he said.
Dr Brooks explained that an analysis of the maritime insecurity situation revealed the region was deficient in coordinated and collaborated maritime law enforcement capabilities and capacity at national, zonal, and regional levels.
He, thus, called on the participants to use the knowledge, experience, and the associated network from the training to improve the maritime domain.
The training covered broad areas including Legal and Policy framework, Maritime Governance, Maritime Security and Safety, Maritime environment, Maritime economy, and Maritime Domain Awareness.
Madam Ndidi Gladys Ezinwa-Ukoha, a Federal Prosecutor, a participant from the Ministry of Justice, Nigeria commended the RMU and its collaborating partners for organizing the course.
She said the course would enhance the work of participants in their respective organizations and countries.
GNA