West, Central Africa Transport Ministers, Director Generals of Maritime Organisations Meet in Accra

Ministers of Transport and Director Generals of Maritime administration from 17 West and Central African countries have converged in Accra for the third Ministerial Conference on the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The conference which takes off today, is a platform for the participants to deliberate on issues affecting sub-standard shipping in Africa. It will be preceded by the ninth Port State Control Committee meeting of maritime technocrats.

The Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is scheduled to formally open the conference on Wednesday March 28, according to Mr. Kwame Owusu, Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA).

He said the conference was an offshoot of the MoU on Port State Control for West and Central African Region generally referred to as Abuja MoU.

It is one of the nine Regional MoUs and one national MoU established pursuant to International Maritime Organisation Resolution A.682 (17) of 1991.

Abuja MoU was established on 22nd October 1999 as an inter-governmental organisation comprising of the maritime administrations of countries abutting the Atlantic coast of Africa.

Mr Owusu said the GMA, as a signatory of the Abuja MoU was committed to safe and secure shipping in the light of oil finds by more African countries and the threat posed by piracy.

Hosting the conference, therefore, he added, was a privilege by Ghana to affirm its commitment to all international conventions by the world body to ensure that shipping in all international waters was carried out in safety and security.

Read Full Story