Let’s build capacity of Boundary Commission — Interior Minister

The Minister for the Interior, Henry Quartey, has said there is the need to invest and build the capacity of national institutions responsible for the protection of national boundaries.

He said retooling national boundary protection institutions would ensure the effective delimitation of maritime boundaries to prevent conflicts and harness the potential of the blue economy for sustainable development. 

"Addressing the challenges of our maritime sector requires action to empower our national boundary commissions through capacity-building, acquiring advance surveillance technology and forming strong international partnerships with organisations such as the AU and the UN. 

"Failure to delimit maritime boundaries poses a security risk; unclear and porous maritime boundaries create opportunities for illegal activities such as piracy, human trafficking and transnational organised crime because law enforcement agencies are unsure of their limits," the minister added.

Event

Mr Quartey was speaking at the opening session of the international conference on ocean governance at the University of Ghana in Accra yesterday.

The conference, which was on the theme: "Emerging issues in maritime boundary delimitation and ocean governance in Africa: Bridging law, policy, science and practice."

It is being attended by participants from diverse fields of endeavour, including members of academia, legal luminaries, policymakers, civil society organisations, development partners and members of the diplomatic corps.

Collaboration 

Mr Quartey said although African countries were living with the reality of the artificial boundaries created by the colonial administration, the situation could be addressed through collaboration and dialogue to avert conflicts.

He said that given the enormous potential the blue economy had for national development, it was critical to strengthen collaborations to identify and address teething challenges before they degenerate.

The minister added that when maritime boundaries were properly delimitated, it would help law enforcement agencies to protect the country's territorial marine boundaries. 

Dispute resolution

The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Diana Asonaba Dapaah, said the conference was important to ensure that policymakers, industry players and other stakeholders collectively work towards a holistic legal framework to protect the country’s marine resources.

She said her outfit was prepared to work with other state institutions for legal reforms that would enhance ocean governance.

Ms Dapaah also underscored the need for conscious efforts to be made to resolve outstanding disputes within the maritime sector to ensure resources were properly managed.

Sustainable devt

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said being a coastal nation, the country's sustainable development was intrinsically linked to the successful management of its maritime resources.

"It is my hope that the ocean governance project that was started here at the School of Law will evolve into a Centre for Ocean Governance where knowledge and cutting-edge research will be generated for sustainable management of the ocean," she said.

The Dean of the University of Ghana School Of Law, Prof. Raymond A. Atuguba, said ensuring effective ocean governance required stronger collaboration among stakeholders to protect the marine resource for the benefit of society.

He said within the context of the global climate crisis, it was important to formulate holistic laws and policies that would address the pressing issues of ocean governance.

Prof. Atuguba added that when the ocean governance project was eventually upgraded into a centre of excellence, it would contribute significantly to the development of laws and policies that were encompassing and progressive for sustainable management of marine resources in the country and the rest of Africa.

For her part, the Norwegian Ambassador, Ingrid Mollestad, said the conference was a step in the right direction because it would pave the way for an integrated approach to ocean governance.