The student body of the Regional Maritime University is the latest group calling for increased focus on the growth of Ghana’s Blue Economy.

Last week, the Students Representative Council (SRC) of the Regional Maritime University held a Blue Economy Conference on the theme Employment in the Blue Industry, a catalyst for Economic Growth, exploring the roles of stakeholders, government and academia for this cause.

Addressing his audience, the President of the SRC, Alex Abayateye doubled up on calls for the acquisition of a training vessel for the school.

“We heard the news from our current Transport Minister that $152,000,000 USD has been secured for a mobilisation project in Regional Maritime University of which obtaining a training vessel is one of them. We are hoping and praying it comes in time but then we want it to come as assiduous and with speed.

The Monitoring Manager at the Port of Tema, Capt. Ebenezer Gakpey, encouraged the RMU to expand its scope of training.

“Though the university has an array of courses that the port has taken advantage of over the period, there are still untapped areas that the University can design programs to address and I will like to give one example to things to look out. For example, there is no program in the sub region that trains vessels traffic operators that is the BTMI or the port control vessels," he said.

A Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr. Stephen Amoah promised the students they have the ears of government for the development of the Blue Economy.

“I can assure you that the things you have spoken about the government should probably upscale its performance, I will do my best to push them in the area of government specific policies. Having read it if it’s there and it has to be reviewed, I will push that,” he assured.