Ghanaian Armed Forces Form Stakeholders in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Management

Rear Admiral Moses Beick-Baffour (center), Commander of the Ghana Armed Forces College (GAFSCS) in interaction with Colonel Kofi Arthur (left), GAFCSC Public Affairs Officer, and Mr. Hbadan Tampoli (at center), general manager, National Petroleum Authority watch. Photos by NII MARTEY M. BOTCHWAY

The Director General of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Hbadan Tampuli, stressed the need for Ghana to strengthen maritime security operations, particularly in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)..

Speaking During the 14th Management and Operations Training of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in Accra, Mr Tampuli stated that the management and operations of the EEZ are central to maritime safety and the economic management of all coastal states and that Ghana could not afford to play in front of the gallery.

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Rear Admiral Moses Beick-Baffour, Commander, Command and Staff College of the Ghana Armed Forces

EEZ Course

The EEZ is the sea area located on the coastline where the country has the exclusive right to undertake all kinds of operations, including the exploitation of marine resources, such as the production of fish and seafood. energy from water and wind, fishing and drilling.

Ghana's Armed Forces High Command and State School (GAFCSC) has trained selected Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) officers, other security services officers and qualified civilians from ministries, departments and agencies. (MDA) for command, policy and governance functions in joint, combined and multi-agency operations.

The College also trains students from the armed forces of other African countries for higher engagements in the national and international environment.

As part of its studies, the College organizes modules to improve the course content, including the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Defense Management and Conflict and Crisis Management modules.

A group photo after the opening of the 14th clbad

The GAFCSC organized the 14th one-week EEZ course to ensure a more professional and comprehensive understanding of EEZ management and operations by all stakeholders, allowing participants to obtain relevant theoretical and practical knowledge.

The management of Ghana's EEZ includes the management of marine resources, the maintenance of public order at sea, security navigation and transit through the euro area and the protection and preservation of the marine environment.

Participants needed, inter alia, to acquire the skills to participate actively in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies related to EEZ issues, in an "informed and informed decision".

Some participants in the 14th clbad

Eighty-seven participants from 20 agencies related to the maritime sector in Ghana and external participants attended the course. Among the participants, there were also regular students from the College's "40 course", 27 of whom came from other African countries.

The objectives of the course were to sensitize stakeholders to the enormous resource potential and monitoring, control and surveillance requirements of the EEZ, to identify the capabilities needed to manage the EEZ and to enable all stakeholders to appreciate the extent of their mutual contributions to management. of the area and develop mechanisms to exploit collaboration.

Mr. Hbadan Tampoli, CEO of the National Petroleum Authority, speaking at the opening ceremony of the course

"I want to say that the nature of maritime threats is dynamic and will continue to evolve and change every day. Meeting these challenges requires a clear strategic direction that should be articulated within appropriate political framework, "said Mr Tampuli at the opening ceremony of the course.

He hoped, however, that the course would generate the necessary political and institutional will to take into account decisions affecting the effective and efficient protection of the country's EEZ resources.

"Deepening sectoral collaboration is not without boosting cooperation between the public and private sectors. This course will be so create the best environment for public-private dialogue for the future of all stakeholders, "he said.

Some participants in the 14th clbad

pledge

He congratulated GAFCSC for instituting the EEZ course module as part of efforts to alleviate the problems facing the country in its maritime area.

"I want to say that the NPA attaches great importance to this course and will continue to provide the necessary support for its success," he said, adding: "I wish, on behalf of the college, to recognize the support of the United Kingdom Government by its Defense Section in Accra. "

Rear Admiral Moses Beick-Baffour, Commander, College of Armed Forces of Ghana, addressing Prince Acquah of Graphic Online.

Success

For his part, the commander of GAFCSC, Rear-Admiral M. Beick-Baffour said the course had, over the years, yielded the necessary results, adding that "there were incidents at sea where participants had to rely on the knowledge gained through training to manage them ".

He added that the course, which was originally reserved for the college's naval faculties, had been expanded to include other stakeholders such as the Air Force Services. , army, immigration and customs due to the changing nature of the field.

"Ghana did not have oil before recently; but after discovering oil, we had to call on the Ministry of Energy and other stakeholders, "he said.