Group picture of President of GMA, seafarers and players in the industry
GHANA MARITIME Authority (GMA) is exploring avenues to ensure foreign vessels which are operating within the country’s maritime jurisdiction employ local seafarers before their licences are issued.
This should constitute one of the authority’s conditions for renewal and granting of permits and licences.
The Director General of GMA, Thomas K. Alonsi, speaking at the 2021 Day of Seaferers held in Tema on Friday themed, “Fair Future for Seafarers” said the authority is at the forefront of ensuring that as many as possible local seafarers gain employment.
He mentioned that GMA is exploring other avenues of compelling foreign seafarers operating within Ghana’s maritime domain to employ local seafarers while the draft bill goes through the parliamentary process.
“After all, our agenda is ‘A Fair Future for Seafarers’. Ghanaian seafarers must also benefit from Ghana’s maritime jurisdiction,” he stated.
On his part, Captain Edem Kofi Loh-Mensah, President of Seafarers Centre Ghana, expressed worry that although Ghana has many well-trained seafarers, limited opportunities exist for them.
“It saddens us to see expats flown into the country for roles such as ordinary seaman, cooks, storekeepers in the face of the many well trained and qualified Ghanaian officers sitting at home,” he said.
He called on the Regional Maritime University to expand its tentacles and not just remain a training institution, and acknowledged the hard work and effort into getting the Cabotage Bill/Law to its present stage in Parliament.
He was worried about the deplorable conditions of his colleagues in the fishing sector, and said “We call on the GMA and the sector minister to, as a matter of urgency, look into the myriad challenges and help alleviate the plight of our people.”
From Vincent Kubi, Tema