IOC-UNESCO Ghana constitutes Committee to find solutions to ocean challenges

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of United Nations Education Scientific Cultural Organisation (IOC-UNESCO), Ghana has tasked its new Committee to highlight the challenges of Ghana’s Oceans in tandem with the UN Decades of Oceans challenges and identify solutions to the address them.

The members of the Committee include representatives from the Fisheries Commission, Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Shippers Authority, Ghana Meteorological Agency, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, and Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority.
 
Other members are Ghana Meteorological Agency, Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation, Office of the Attorney General Department, Hen Mpoano, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast, The African Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (Acecor) and Ghana National Commission for UNESCO.

The Committee was constituted at its maiden meeting on April 12, 2022, at the CSIR-Water Research Institute.

It was agreed at the meeting that the Environmental Protection Agency, Water Resource Commission, and the National Disaster Management Organization should be added to the Committee.

Charge

The Director of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Water Research Institute (CSIR-WRI), Professor Mike Yaw Osei-Atweneboana, who chaired the meeting charged members of the IOC-UNESCO committee to see Ghana achieve the vision of the Ocean Decade.
 
In his opening statement, Prof Osei-Atweneboana indicated that the Ocean Decade is a convening framework for diverse stakeholders to co-design and co-deliver solution-oriented research needed for a well-functioning ocean in support of the 2030 Agenda.
 
The meeting was followed by a presentation by the guest speaker, Coordinator of IOC Africa, Professor Mika Odido. He talked about the Ocean Decade challenges and highlighted key areas on the National Decade Committee Operational Guidelines.
 
He further indicated that the vision of the Decade of Ocean is to support efforts to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health, and gather ocean stakeholders worldwide behind a common framework that will ensure ocean science can fully support countries in creating improved conditions for sustainable development of the Ocean.
 
The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in Ghana was also urged to leverage the World Bank-funded West African Coastal Areas Management Programme, and develop nature-based ecosystem engineering solutions.
 
The Chairman anticipates the official launch of the Decade of Oceans in Ghana in May 2022.
 
The meeting was facilitated by Dr Pennante Bruce-Vanderpuije, Mr Divine Ahotor and Dr Ruby Asmah.