Accra: Ghana's legal and institutional frameworks for ocean governance have been assessed as Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)-friendly and align with international conventions. This assessment follows a validation workshop organized by the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) in collaboration with the Fisheries Commission.
According to Ghana News Agency, the workshop brought together national regulators, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), traditional authorities, industry, and civil society. Facilitators indicated that the event provided a structured platform for participants to discuss legal mandates and define roles in the MSP process, aiming to reduce conflicts at sea and deliver socio-economic benefits from marine resources.
The workshop is part of the MarEcoPlan project, a three-year, three-million-dollar pilot initiative for MSP being implemented in C´te d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo. The project is in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Fisheries Commission, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Dr. Kwame Adu Agyekum, MarEcoPlan National MSP Consultant, informed the Ghana News Agency that the technical team assessed Ghana's framework as capable of hosting MSP without displacing existing mandates. He noted that the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) could incorporate an MSP compatibility check into environmental approvals, and the Ghana Maritime Authority's responsibilities would allow MSP to reflect International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) routing measures.
Dr. Agyekum also highlighted the roles of the Fisheries Commission, Petroleum Commission, and port authorities in supporting MSP implementation. He emphasized the framework's alignment with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and regional mechanisms under the Abidjan Convention and ECOWAS/FCWC.
Experts at the workshop guided participants through data collected for reviewing legal structures and policy documents, focusing on maritime zones and resource management. The agenda included presentations on institutional and legal analysis, stakeholder-mapping exercises, and group tasks addressing data sharing and coordination.
Participants reviewed evidence products, including policy instrument summaries and a map of institutional connections, identifying synergies and conflicts that MSP could address. Organizers outlined future steps for MSP, such as refining recommendations, continuing stakeholder engagement, and preparing spatial layers for public comment.
A representative of the FCWC acknowledged that the validation exercise confirmed Ghana's ability to support MSP, highlighting that regional alignment would enhance safe navigation, healthy ecosystems, and predictable rules for investors.
