President Nana Akufo-Addo has launched the National Integrated Maritime Strategy document (NIMS) to strengthen the framework for maritime governance.

The NIMS is a forward-thinking strategy designed to foster collaboration, innovation and address challenges facing the country’s maritime sector. The NIMS was put together by the Ministries of Transport, Defence, Energy, Fisheries, Foreign Affairs and National Security, among others.

Addressing the third International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEC) in the opening ceremony at the Ghana Armed Forces headquarters in Accra, he indicated that safeguarding Ghana’s territorial integrity and protecting the interests of all Ghanaians remain key priorities of government.

The Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces also revealed ongoing international discourse on exploitation of the blue economy as a means of ensuring sustainable development of countries, particularly littoral states – emphasising the need for countries to safeguard their territorial waters.

“The heightened threat of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, underscores the need of littoral West African states to prioritise the security of their maritime domain,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo stated that timely introduction of the NIMS is crucial: “More significant is the fact that this document comes at a time when Ghana has assumed its position as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. The country will continue to leverage this position among the comity of nations to forge collaborations on priority areas, which among others include mitigating the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea”.

He is optimistic that the NIMS will help find solutions to the safety, security and sustainable development issues of the domestic maritime industry.

President Akufo-Addo urged stakeholders to seek innovative and lasting solutions to maritime security challenges as government also takes steps to strengthen the maritime sector.

“I urge you to use technology as a tool along with multifaceted approaches to combat piracy in the Gulf of Guinea for businesses to thrive,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo and his entourage toured the exhibition hall of the Ghana Armed Forces, where both local and international products were on display.

Minister for National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, on his part said the NIMS will make the vision of developing the maritime industry become a reality.

He recommended all individuals, agencies and institutions that contributed in diverse ways to the NIMS development.

He also acknowledged the technical and financial support provided by governments of the United States of America and Kingdom of Denmark, and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime.

“The Ministry of Transport will continue to play its role in implementing the NIMS to foster national wealth-creation and enhance safety and security in the country’s maritime domain,” said Minister of Transport and Aviation, Kweku Ofori Asiamah.

Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, Chief of the Naval Staff of Ghana Navy, said in 2018 a team comprising the National Maritime Technical Working Group as well as local and international consultants were put together to draft an Integrated Maritime Strategy for Ghana.

This, according to him, was done with support from the US government through the security governance initiative under the auspices of the Ministry of National Security and Ghana Maritime Authority.

The International Maritime Defence and Exhibition Conference’s third edition was held under the theme ‘Consolidating gains made in the Gulf of Guinea: The role of stakeholders and technology in sustaining a safe and secure maritime domain’. It saw over three hundred participants from twenty-two countries across the globe.

With about ten Chiefs of Navies and Heads of Coastguards from across Africa, local and international exhibitors and thirty speakers, the event sought to develop both regional and international frameworks to combat piracy and other transnational maritime crimes.

“We hope our industry players will present us with workable and affordable solutions which can be adopted regionally,” Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu said.