Ghana has officially assumed the Chancellorship and Chairmanship of the Board of Governors of the Regional Maritime University, with the country’s Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, taking over from Alhaji Fanday Turay of Sierra Leone.
The formal handover took place during the University’s Board of Governors meeting held in Accra on Friday, June 26, and was attended by transport ministers and representatives from the six member states that jointly own the university: Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The transition marks Ghana’s assumption of leadership of the University’s governing board and underscores the continued commitment of member states to strengthening regional cooperation in maritime education, training, research and capacity building across West and Central Africa.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Turay reflected on Sierra Leone’s tenure, highlighting achievements made during its leadership of the Board. He thanked the Board, management and staff of the University for their support and reaffirmed the institution’s strategic role in producing skilled maritime professionals for Africa. He also urged member states to sustain their support for the University.
Accepting the role, Mr Nikpe expressed appreciation to the member states for the confidence reposed in Ghana and pledged to advance the mission and strategic objectives of the Regional Maritime University.
He described the University as a premier maritime institution serving the region and called for stronger collaboration among member states to support its growth, modernization and long-term sustainability.
The Transport Minister further assured the Board of Ghana’s continued commitment to the institution and pledged to work with stakeholders to resolve key institutional matters, including bringing finality to the University’s Vice-Chancellorship issue to ensure stable leadership for its development agenda.
The Board also deliberated on governance, academic development, infrastructure expansion, financial sustainability and the University’s contribution to supporting Africa’s growing blue economy.
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The Regional Maritime University is an intergovernmental institution jointly owned by Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The University has trained thousands of maritime professionals who now serve in the shipping, ports, fisheries, logistics, offshore energy and maritime administration sectors across Africa and beyond.
Stakeholders expressed optimism that Ghana’s leadership of the Board would deepen regional cooperation and accelerate the University’s ambition of becoming a globally recognised centre of excellence for maritime education and research.
