The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has called on African governments to institute legislative framework to address maritime safety, security, plastic pollution and ocean governance to build resilient economies.
He expressed dismay over the fact that eight million tonnes of plastics were dumped into the ocean annually, and cautioned that if urgent measures are not taken to address the phenomenon; by 2050 there would be more plastics in the ocean than aquatic life.
“Our national and continental strategies should take into consideration the environmental dimension of the blue economy so that we can together preserve our ecosystem,” Dr. Bawumia emphasised.
The Vice President made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Transport Minister, at the opening of the Sixth Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Africa Conference in Accra.
He said the government was instituting measures to ensure plastic waste management became an integral part of the maritime environment and urged African nations to develop the necessary legislation to address maritime pollution.
The two-day conference is on the theme: “The Role of Women in Harnessing the Potential of Africa’s Blue Economy” attracted delegates and shipping councils from Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Central Africa Republic and Togo.
The event, which was graced by Kitack Lim, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation, brought together women in the maritime transport, trading, logistics and management positions.
They would share knowledge, ideas and network towards developing an action plan that would aid in sustainable utilisation of the marine resources.
The Vice President mentioned some reforms being implemented by the Government to enhance ports’ efficiency and ease of doing business, including the Single Window System, construction of four container berths and expansion of terminals at the Tema and Takoradi ports, to reduce revenue leakages and ensure faster turnaround time for goods and services.
He said maritime resources were pivotal towards Africa’s industrialisation agenda and diversification of her economies considering the 38 coastal countries on the continent and, thus, called for sustainable utilisation to ensure collective development.
It is estimated that about 90 per cent of the import and export volumes in Africa is through maritime transport.
Dr. Bawumia acknowledged the role and contributions of women in the sector over the years.
However, he bemoaned the low number of the female workforce, constituting only two per cent globally, and called for drastic measures to change the statistics by advancing women’s participation in the sector.
He said the government was empowering women to play a critical role in the maritime sector and cited the appointment of Madam Sandra Opoku, the Director of Tema Port and Madam Benonita Bismarck, the Executive Director of the Ghana Shippers Authority, to decision-making positions as a case in point.
Jemilat Jawulaa Mahama, the President of WISTA-Ghana, in her welcome address, said the conference was a defining moment in Africa’s quest to industrialise and diversifying her economies through sustainable exploitation of natural resources.
She noted that the first global conference to discuss the “Blue Economy” (Ocean Resources) was held in September last year in Nairobi, Kenya, for sustainable use of the sea resources.
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Source: GNA