The Danish government through its Embassy in Accra has presented nine Cisco Webex video conferencing units to Maritime Law Enforcement agencies in Ghana.

The equipment which is meant to facilitate the continuous engagement despite travel restrictions to ensure the country's waters are safe for shipping was handed over to the Ghana Maritime Authority which chairs Ghana’s National Maritime Security Committee.

The Counsellor in charge of Maritime Affairs at the Danish Embassy, Thomas Raahauge Norup, presented the items to the GMA.

“We have handed over the actual equipment, that’s the Cisco VTC Equipment that we have been handing over to the Ghana Maritime Authorities, one of our key partners in here in Ghana,” he said.

The equipment which will be used in times of crisis and other issues related to maritime crime will enable Ghana Maritime Authority to communicate both locally and internationally.

The Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Chris Daniel Santos, commended the GMA and the Navy for their collaboration in the fight against elicit activities in Ghana’s maritime jurisdiction.

“I would like to recognise the contribution of our partners, the Embassy of Denmark, in facilitating the donation of the VTC Equipment.

I stated that the travel restrictions imposed due to the covid situation mandated a creative response to ensure the ongoing maritime security projects, and initiatives in meetings continued to take place,” he said.

He added that the beneficiary agencies will now enjoy the added flexibility in conducting these meetings with national and international partners.

“This equipment will allow the maritime stakeholders to set up meetings that require a near response such as the response to manmade or natural disasters or maritime security threats,” he further stated. 

The Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Thomas Kofi Alonsi, who received the items on behalf of GMA said the Danish Government has repeatedly shown remarkable interest in partnering Ghana’s maritime industry stakeholders.

“I must confess that this is not the first time the Danish Government, through its embassy in Accra, has shown remarkable interest in partnering with various stakeholders in the maritime industry,” he said.

“I therefore commend the Danish Government for the continued support not only to the Ghana Maritime Authority but to the entire maritime industry in Ghana.

"This particular intervention of our Danish partners could not have come at a better time when the covid-19 pandemic is limiting physical contact,” he added.

The Director-General also noted that “technology and virtual meetings seem to be the new normal regarding communications and conferencing it is in this light, that the Danish government is assisting Ghanaian maritime law enforcement agency through the Danish maritime security program for the Gulf of Guinea to continue executing their duties via remote means”.