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RMU graduates 368 students at 20th congregation
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The Regional Maritime University (RMU) on Saturday, held its 20th Congregation, graduating a total of 368 students with master’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees and diplomas in various disciplines.
The graduating class comprised 82 master’s degree holders, 213 bachelor’s degree recipients and 73 diploma graduates.
Speaking at the event, the Minister for Transport, Mr Joseph Bukari Nikpe, described the maritime sector as a critical driver of Ghana’s economic transformation and job creation, reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening maritime education and industry development.
He said the government recognises the strategic role of the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in producing the skilled workforce needed to support national development and the growth of the blue economy.
To this end, he said, government was aligning maritime education with national development priorities, including the 24-hour Economy policy and modern supply chain integration.
Mr Nikpe, who also serves as Chancellor of the RMU and Chairman of its Board of Governors, made the remarks at the university’s 20th Congregation in Accra on Saturday.
He pledged Ghana’s commitment to repositioning the RMU as a globally competitive maritime training hub capable of producing world-class professionals to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving global maritime industry.
According to him, the sector was undergoing significant transformation driven by automation, digitalisation and the growing global transition towards environmentally sustainable shipping practices.
He stressed that the university must stay ahead of these developments by modernising its training systems, strengthening research capacity and embracing technological innovation.
The minister assured the university that, under his leadership, the Ministry of Transport would pursue strategic partnerships to facilitate access to advanced marine engineering technologies, modern training infrastructure and sustainable research funding.
He also commended the university’s management and faculty for their resilience and commitment to training competent maritime professionals despite the rapidly changing global shipping environment.
The Ag. Vice-Chancellor of the RMU, Dr Jethro W. Brooks Jr, congratulated the graduates on their perseverance and hard work, urging them to remain worthy ambassadors of the university wherever they found themselves.
He, however, outlined a number of challenges confronting the university, including inadequate infrastructure, encroachment on university lands and irregular water supply.
Dr Brooks appealed to member states and the Government of Ghana to support efforts to address these challenges to enable the university to fully deliver on its mandate as the region’s premier maritime training institution.
The ceremony also recognised outstanding staff and students for their academic excellence, dedication and contributions to the growth of the university.
In the staff category, Mr Michael Odai Odiko was named Employee of the Year (Senior Staff – Teaching), while the prestigious Vice-Chancellor’s Award was presented to Mr Jone Addai-Marfo in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the university’s development over the years.
Among the graduates, Akomaning Patricia Agyeiwaa emerged as the Best Overall Postgraduate Student and also received the award for Best Student in M.A. Ports and Shipping Administration.
Prince Kofi Boamah won the Best Student award in M.Sc. International Shipping and Logistics, while Peprah William Frimpong was adjudged Best Student in M.Sc. Electrical Power Engineering.
Abayateye Desmond was named Best Overall Undergraduate Student and also received the award for Best Student in B.Sc. Nautical Science.
Other undergraduate award winners were Nartey Nelly Afi (B.Sc. Ports and Shipping Administration), Mensah Cecil Niibi (B.Sc. Logistics Management), Okyere Evans Nkrumah (B.Sc. Marine Engineering), Aggey Valentine (B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering), Akpakli Marcellina Awovi (B.Sc. Electrical/Electronic Engineering), Attiogbe Joseph Foli (B.Sc. Computer Engineering) and Osabu-Kle Claude Nii Adjei (B.Sc. Computer Science).
In the diploma category, Adjei Jerry Adjetey was recognised as the Best Student in Marine Engineering, Kwessie Nathan Afful received the award for Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mac-Teye Ericson Kwesi Nartey emerged as the Best Student in Nautical Science, while Amponsah Franca Naana was named Best Student in Ports and Shipping Management.
Several other students also received prizes sponsored by industry partners and alumni, including the Rear Admiral David Animle Memorial Prize in Nautical Science, the J.N. Mante Award for Excellence, the C.N.M. Pappoe Award, the 1958/59 Inaugural Class Alumni Excellence Award, the Abdulai-Saiku Award, the Charkins Maritime & Offshore Safety Centre Prize in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, the Stark Energy Limited Award for Best Graduating B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering Student, and the Hafnia Shipping Company Limited Awards.
Members of the Sierra Leone Committee of Experts were also recognised and honoured for their invaluable contributions to the sustained growth and development of the university over the years.
Residents of Brodi, a farming community in the Tain District of the Bono Region, have been left in shock and mourning following the alleged murder of a 45-year-old woman by her husband, who later died by suicide.
According to information gathered by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the suspect, popularly known as Kwabena Jack, believed to be in his 50s, allegedly attacked and killed his wife, Abena Donkor, while the couple were working on their farm on Monday, August 11, 2026.
Mr Kingsley Obah, Assembly Member for the Brodi Electoral Area, confirmed the incident to the GNA.
He explained that after news of the woman’s death spread through the community, residents launched a search for the suspect. His lifeless body was later discovered in a nearby bush on Tuesday, August 12, 2026.
Police have since conveyed both bodies to the Tain District Government Hospital, where they have been deposited for preservation and autopsy.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing. -GNA
Hawkers and roaming preachers have taken over the five-metre high Madina REDCO footbridge and adjoining streets, making it increasingly difficult for pedestrians to use the facility intended to promote safe road crossing.
The traders have virtually turned sections of the footbridge into a marketplace, displaying their wares on the floor using jute sacks, plastic sheets and metal trays, while others have occupied both sides of the walkway with their merchandise.
Foodstuffs such as okro, garden eggs, pepper, onions, dried fish, smoked fish, grains, spices and other groceries are openly sold on the footbridge and along the roadside, forcing pedestrians to weave through the crowded path.
Clothing and fashion accessories including slippers, brassieres, panties, socks, bags and other household items are also displayed for sale, leaving only limited space for commuters to use.
The situation is worsened by the presence of itinerant preachers who position themselves on the footbridge with public address systems to evangelise, drawing crowds to further obstruct pedestrian movement.
Head porters are also seen crossing the highway through the median while carrying heavy loads instead of using the footbridge, exposing themselves to the danger of being knocked down by speeding vehicles.
Also, portions of the footbridge are showing signs of deterioration. Several metal railings are rusted, bent and loosely secured with pieces of wire, raising concerns about the safety of users, especially children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Sections of the concrete surface are worn and chipped, while makeshift wooden supports attached to parts of the structure suggest temporary repairs.
After a visit by The Spectator last week, it emerged that many commuters preferred crossing the busy Madina Highway instead of using the footbridge because of the congestion created by the trading and preaching activities.
For years, successive attempts by the police, the military and the La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly to address congestion around the REDCO and Zongo Junction enclave have yielded little success, with the area becoming notorious for roadside trading, indiscriminate parking and pedestrians refusing to use the footbridge.
A pedestrian, who gave her name only as Maame Yaa, described the situation as worrying, saying the footbridge, which was constructed to protect lives, had gradually lost its purpose because of the growing encroachment by traders and preachers.
According to her, many pedestrians were discouraged from using the facility because navigating through the crowded walkway had become difficult and uncomfortable.
She appealed to the La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly and other relevant authorities to intensify enforcement to prevent unauthorised trading and other activities on the footbridge and ensure it served its intended purpose of promoting pedestrian safety.
However, during the visit, personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) were seen carrying out a decongestion exercise to remove hawkers from sections of the roadside around the footbridge as part of efforts to improve public safety and ease the movement of both pedestrians and motorists.
The exercise forms part of a pilot project initiated by the Municipal Fire Commander for Madina, Division Officer II (DO II) Abdul Salia, who assumed command of the Madina Municipal Fire Station three months ago.
Speaking in an interview with The Spectator, DO II Abdulai Salia, who is also a long time resident of the community, said the month long project began on July 1 and ended on July 31, with 30 firefighters deployed daily to regulate traffic, clear hawkers from the streets and footbridge, and create access for emergency vehicles.
Continued on page 12
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
