By ADAKU WALTER
The Gambian government has restated its support for the Secretary-General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr Paul Adalikwu, and its commitment to the success of his administration.
The authority has also requested technical cooperation and capacity building to enable it to harness the derivable benefits from its maritime sector.
Gambia’s Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, Bai Lamin Jobe, stated this in Banjul when he received the MOWCA scribe, who was on a working visit as part of efforts to rebuild confidence, reposition the organisation for greater efficiency and make it more beneficial to member states.
Jobe expressed profound support for the new leadership of MOWCA and pledged to contribute to the success of the new SG including the financial commitment of Gambia.
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He assured that The Gambia would sign the charter for the Regional Maritime Development Bank, as it was anticipating robust participation of the West African country in the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA agreement through its maritime and other sectors.
The Gambia had visited the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Nigeria and Port of Mombasa, Kenya to understudy the Merchant Shipping Acts in the sector.
Besides meeting with the Minister, Jobe met with Deputy Director-General of Gambia Maritime Authority (GMA), Ousman Torey, who listed high freight rates due to bureaucratic challenges and inadequate staff training as part of its challenges.
He also stated that lack of placement onboard vessels for seafarers and cadets improved training for GMA staff members and short courses for women and youths as key areas in which they look up to MOWCA for technical support.
Responding, the MOWCA scribe aligned with the GMA needs and promised that they will benefit from the membership of MOWCA.
He informed that engagement was ongoing with the President of the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmo to ensure technical assistance for member states and the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London, to provide capacity building for all member countries.
Adalikwu further highlighted MOWCA’s new action plan and strategic vision. He revealed that a new organogram accommodating four departments as stated in the institutional document of MOWCA, to drive the organisation under his leadership, has been emplaced.
Adalikwu also visited the Managing Director of The Gambia Port Authority (GPA) and the Nigerian Embassy in Banjul as part of familiarisation and broader interaction.
