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CEMLAWS organises workshop on transparency and accountability
A day’s workshop aimed at disseminating the findings on transparency and accountability in Ghana’s fisheries sector project has been held in Accra.
Organised by the Centre for Maritime Law and Security (CEMLAWS) Africa yesterday, the transparency and accountability in Ghana’s fisheries sector project was funded through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans project titled: Enhancing Transparency in the Fisheries Sector of Ghana.
The project which was carried out in four African countries including Ghana sought to evaluate transparency and accountability gaps within the fisheries sector, with a focus on governance and policy framework.
According to the Programmes Manager at (CEMLAWS) Africa, Dr Rebecca K. Essamuah, although there had been transparency by the government in the fisheries sector, more could be done to improve it.
She explained that transparency mechanisms in the fisheries sector could be improved by making information more available, and including stakeholders in decision-making for their voice to be heard.
Dr Essamuah further underscored the need to have a concerted effort that was geared towards achieving a sustainable fisheries sector as efforts to meet transparency goals were scattered.
In addition, she noted that the project had three main objectives which were to assess the transparency and accountability, to assess the functional information-sharing mechanisms and to find out how transparency was being held across the regions in terms of governance and enforcement in the fisheries sector.
The Board Chairman of the Fisheries Commission (FC), Professor Francis Nunoo noted that his outfit was collecting data on fisheries to help improve the inland fisheries sector.
This, he said, was important due to limited data in the inland fisheries sector compared to the marine fisheries sector.
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Prof Nunoo further bemoaned how information or data obtained from the FC by stakeholders in the fisheries sector and individuals were often misinterpreted and therefore recommended a formal engagement with stakeholders in the fisheries sector to better explain the data obtained to them as the sector was the least understood in West Africa.
He asserted that although the government had supported the FC over the past years, the FC still faced challenges in terms of data collection which affected its operations.
The Board Chairman therefore urged the government to assist the FC by providing it with adequate resources to help in data collection to help the FC manage the fisheries sector effectively.
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), in a keynote address read on her behalf by a representative from the MoFAD noted that good governance, transparency, and accountability were essential for the sustainable management of natural resources in Ghana, including fisheries and aquaculture.
The Minister emphasised government’s commitment to improve transparency and accountability in the fisheries sector by collaborating with stakeholders in the implementation of fisheries policies, plans and management measures.
The Ghana First Alliance, a movement, is today staging a protest in Accra against the renewal of the mining licence of Gold Fields, a mining company owned by a South African citizen operating in Ghana.
The demonstration, dubbed “Operation No Contract Renewal: South Africa Must Go,” is being held to demand that government does not renew the company’s licence.
The group says their protest is linked to recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa by a protest group known as “march to march.”
They claim that many Ghanaian-owned shops were looted, while others were attacked, with some cases leading to deaths.
They also say the situation forced the Ghana government to evacuate thousands of Ghanaians from South Africa back to Ghana.
Speaking to some of the protesters, they said they will move to several key locations in Accra, including the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Jubilee House, where they intend to present their petition.
The protesters are calling on government to terminate the Gold Fields contract and hand over the mining concessions to capable Ghanaians to manage.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
