Hot!
Support for training institutions to conduct hydrographic surveys crucial – MOWCA SG
The Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) Dr. Paul Adalikwu, has advocated for support to training institutions in the maritime sector to conduct hydrographic surveys.
That, he said, will enhance navigational safety for ships and promote sustainable marine environment in West and Central Africa.
Consequently, he proposed that the Regional Maritime University(RMU) in Accra and the Regional Maritime Academy of Sciences and Technologies of the Sea (ARSTM) in Abidjan must be supported for such exercise.
He was speaking at the recently held 18th conference of the East Atlantic Hydrographic Commission (EAtHC) in Casablanca, Kingdom of Morocco.
Mr Adalikwu said the two institutions have individual and combined capacities for hosting short seminars as they already did five years ago and for developing hydrography programmes as part of their training for marine engineers.
The MOWCA SG’s suggestion falls in line with the programme of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO)to establish training centres of excellence where the conditions were favourable.
Consequently, Dr John Nyberg, Director at IHO together with senior Officials of EAtHC agreed to visit the RMU and ARSTM, to consider the development of a hydrography programme at the Engineer level.
Dr Adalikwu identified the suitability of their premises, availability of qualified lecturers with the relevant profile and experience, possibility of partnering with international universities that had such programmes and existence of an hydrography agency as part of the public Administration or a Technical Department of the Port Authorities in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire .
It was also agreed that IHO would be invited to the 19th session of the MOWCA General Assembly, scheduled for the last quarter of 2025 to address Ministers on the benefits of promoting hydrography as part of their overall maritime programmes
The EAtHC is one of the 15 Hydrographic Commissions established by IHO worldwide to coordinate hydrography and cartography activities for safety of navigation and environmental protection.
It covers the coastal area from France down to Angola, and therefore includes the coastline of MOWCA’s member States.
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.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
