The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has hinted at possible staff layoff as part of efforts to address what it describes as an over-staffing challenge.

The decision follows a comprehensive internal audit, which revealed that the organisation has significantly more employees than required for its operational needs.

Speaking to JoyNews' Elton Brobbey, the Director General of GMA, Dr Kamal Deen Ali, highlighted the strain excessive staffing has placed on the authority’s budget.

"We have a high budget in the area of compensation for workers salaries. Our workforce has grown almost 400% in the last few years. In 2017, we had fewer than 110 staff members, but by 2025, that number has neared 600. This has led to an unsustainable compensation budget," he explained.

Dr Ali further noted that the rapid increase in staff does not align with the financial growth of the authority or its operational needs.

He added that the over-employment situation limits future hiring opportunities and may lead to a mismatch between expertise and productivity.

"We have employees who may not have enough to do. This issue, along with other structural concerns, is being reviewed to bring staffing to a reasonable level...lay off is a policy issue, but yes, lay off is possible," he stated.