Accra: The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Union Commission (AUC), has organized an inception meeting to initiate the development of Ghana's Blue Economy Commission (Enabling) Bill.
According to Ghana Web, the virtual meeting brought together representatives from government ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as development partners, to discuss the proposed work plan, implementation approach, and stakeholder engagement process. The Blue Economy Commission (Enabling) Bill aims to establish a coordinated legal and institutional framework to guide the country's sustainable blue economy development.
The development of the Bill is part of the Blue Economy Project of UNDP's Regional Bureau for Africa, funded by the European Union (EU). In collaboration with MoFAD and the AUC, UNDP is committed to strengthening governance of Ghana's blue economy by developing policies, legal frameworks, and institutions that promote sustainable use of marine and aquatic resources while advancing economic growth, job creation, and environmental protection.
Fred Antwi, Executive Director of MoFAD, opened the meeting by highlighting Ghana's progress in advancing its green and blue economy agenda. He emphasized that the proposed legislation will provide the necessary legal framework to strengthen coordination, improve governance, and support sustainable management of the country's marine and aquatic resources. Antwi acknowledged the critical technical and financial support provided by UNDP and the AUC in advancing Ghana's blue economy objectives.
Dr Abdul-Razak Saeed, Head of Environment and Climate at UNDP Ghana, reaffirmed UNDP's commitment to supporting the Government of Ghana in achieving its development priorities. He emphasized the role of UNDP in working across different development sectors to help achieve national priorities by providing technical and policy advisory support and fostering national and global strategic partnerships.
Dr Godwin Djokoto, an Ocean Governance and Maritime Law Expert and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana, outlined the Bill's development process. This includes reviewing relevant legal frameworks, identifying gaps, preparing the draft Bill, facilitating stakeholder consultations, and finalizing the Bill. The initial draft is expected within 30 days, followed by consultations with key stakeholders to ensure national priorities are reflected and garner broad stakeholder ownership.
The inception meeting set the Bill-development process in motion, with the next phase focused on drafting and stakeholder consultation. The process aims to produce a nationally owned framework capable of translating Ghana's blue economy ambitions into coordinated action, benefiting people, livelihoods, and the environment.