Hon. Ophelia Mensah Hayford (MP) Delivers Keynote Address at High-Level Meeting on Maritime Domain Awareness

On 4th July 2024, Hon. Ophelia Mensah Hayford (MP), the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), was invited as the Special Guest of Honour to deliver the keynote address at a High-Level Meeting on Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) at the Ghana Navy Headquarters, Burma Camp. The Hon. Minister was represented by Cephas Adjei Mensah, Director of Research, Statistics, and Information Management (RSIM).

The meeting, co-organized by the Ghana Navy and the University of Ghana, brought together heads of maritime and law enforcement agencies, academic institutions, civil society organizations active in maritime governance and security, and representatives from the African Space Agency of the African Union Commission.

In her address, the Hon. Minister highlighted the crucial roles of the Navy, geospatial technology, and capacity building in securing our ocean space and promoting its sustainable use. She emphasized the importance of developing homegrown solutions to these challenges. Moreover, the Hon. Minister underscored the need for policy coordination and the pivotal role of MESTI through the development of the Ghana Space Policy, which outlines a comprehensive strategy to harness the potential of Space Science and technology for national development.

A significant highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ghana Navy and the University of Ghana, aimed at solidifying existing relationships and fostering further collaboration.

This meeting marks a significant step towards enhancing maritime domain awareness and security, and MESTI is committed to supporting these efforts through innovative policies and initiatives.