There’s a general improvement in maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea as the commissioning of maritime crimes has reduced significantly since 2021.
Only two cases of piracy have been reported in the territory in 2023 with Nigeria which previously had a high number of piracy cases recording no cases in 2023.
Data indicates that in the last 10 years, the Gulf of Guinea recorded maritime piracy incidents leading to 648 kidnap for ransom cases making it the most dangerous waters in the world.
But as of now, a remarkable achievement has been attained as crimes such as piracy, armed robbery at sea and other crimes have reduced sharply.
Available statistics show that apart from 2020 where 21 out of 47 pirate attacks worldwide occurred in the Gulf of Guinea, the following years until 2023 have seen much improvement in the fight against piracy and other crimes at sea.
Speaking at a workshop for selected journalists on maritime security reporting, commandant for the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Center, Major General Richard Gyane whilst acknowledging the role of the media towards achieving this success also emphasized the need for a deeper understanding of maritime security issues by media practitioners.
For his part, the Danish ambassador to Ghana, H.E Tom Norring pledged a healthy partnership with the center to continually equip key stakeholders with the requisite knowledge on maritime security issues which threats cannot be undermined.
The five-day workshop which is being held at Takoradi is targeted at equipping journalists with a broader knowledge of issues bordering maritime security, particularly within the Gulf of Guinea.
Source: Akwasi Addo
