The Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, has urged Ghana’s media to use its platforms to advocate for stronger investment in the Ghana Navy, stressing that the nation’s economic survival and maritime security depend on it.
Speaking at the opening of a three-day training programme for journalists and maritime stakeholders in Accra, Rear Admiral Bessing explained that the Navy’s ability to safeguard the country’s territorial waters is being severely constrained by limited resources and logistical challenges.
The training workshop, organised by the European Union–Enhanced Maritime Action in the Gulf of Guinea (ENMAR) in collaboration with the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute (GoGMI), seeks to enhance journalists’ capacity to report on maritime security, safety, and the blue economy.
Rear Admiral Bessing noted that Ghana loses an estimated US$200 million annually through illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and other maritime crimes, including piracy and drug trafficking. He warned that much of this illicit activity goes unnoticed because “the maritime environment is far from the shoreline and hidden from public view.”
Citing a recent case in which a French naval vessel intercepted over 10 tonnes of narcotics in Ghanaian waters, the Navy Chief lamented that such operations expose the under-resourcing of local navies in the Gulf of Guinea. “We know the threats, we know the risks, but without the right platforms, our hands are tied,” he said.
He criticised delays in acquiring Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), despite repeated government promises since 2010. “The cost of one OPV is less than US$200 million. If we had consistently invested over the last 15 years, our Navy would have been adequately equipped today,” he argued.
Rear Admiral Bessing therefore called on journalists to step up advocacy by highlighting the invisible threats at sea and pressing policymakers to prioritise maritime security. “When the media gives sustained coverage, governments listen,” he stressed.
President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor, who delivered the keynote address, backed the Navy Chief’s call. He emphasised that maritime security should not be seen as a niche issue but as a national development concern. “The ocean’s story must not be narrated by a few. A stronger maritime discourse enriches public debate and strengthens democracy,” Mr. Dwumfuor added.
The workshop, funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France, is equipping journalists with tools to uncover and report complex maritime issues. By the end of the three-day training, participants are expected to be better positioned to expose illegal maritime activities, improve public awareness, and contribute to national advocacy for a well-resourced Ghana Navy capable of safeguarding the country’s blue economy.
Ghana/Atinkaonline.com/Philip Azu