Let’s build the capacity of the Boundary Commission – Minister of Home Affairs

He said restructuring national border protection institutions would ensure effective demarcation of maritime boundaries, thereby preventing conflicts and unlocking the potential of the blue economy for sustainable development.

“To address the challenges facing our maritime sector, we must take action to strengthen our national border commissions through capacity building, acquiring advanced surveillance technology and forming strong international partnerships with organisations such as the AU and the UN.

“The failure to demarcate maritime boundaries poses a security risk; unclear and porous maritime borders create opportunities for illicit activities such as piracy, human trafficking and transnational organised crime, as law enforcement agencies are unsure of their boundaries,” the minister added.

Event

Mr Quartey was speaking yesterday at the opening session of the International Conference on Ocean Governance at the University of Ghana in Accra.

The theme of the conference was: “Emerging issues in maritime boundary delimitation and ocean governance in Africa: bridging law, policy, science and practice.”

Participants from a wide range of disciplines are present, including academics, leading legal experts, policy makers, civil society organizations, development partners and members of the diplomatic corps.

Cooperation

Mr Quartey said that while African countries face the reality of artificial borders created by colonial rule, the situation can be addressed through cooperation and dialogue to prevent conflict.

He said that given the enormous potential of the blue economy for national development, it is crucial to strengthen cooperation so that we can identify and address emerging problems before they escalate.

The minister added that when maritime boundaries are properly demarcated, it will help law enforcement agencies in protecting the country’s territorial maritime boundaries.

Dispute resolution

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

She said her organization was willing to work with other state institutions on legal reforms that would improve ocean governance.

Ms Dapaah also stressed the need to make deliberate efforts to resolve the outstanding disputes within the maritime sector to ensure that resources are managed properly.

Sustainable development

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

“I hope that the ocean governance project started here at the law school will develop into a Center for Ocean Governance, generating knowledge and cutting-edge research for sustainable ocean management,” she said.

The Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ghana, Prof. Raymond A. Atuguba, said effective ocean governance requires stronger collaboration among stakeholders to protect marine resources for the benefit of society.

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

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

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