Honourable Colleague Members of the Regional Maritime University;
Board of Governors and Ministers of Transport and Maritime Affairs;
Members of the Diplomatic and consular Corps;
Hon. Members of Parliament here present;
The Acting Vice Chancellor and Members of the RMU Management;
Chief Executive Officers of Ports and Harbours and Maritime Administration of Member States;
Municipal Chief Executives;
Members of the Committee of Experts;
Paramount Chief and President of the Nungua Traditional Council – King (Prof.) Odaifo Welentsi and other Distinguished Chiefs;
Faculty Members and Staff of RMU;
Distinguished Alumni of RMU;
Parents and Sponsors; Partners; Distinguished Invited Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media;
Students and Graduands;
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is with the utmost pleasure and pride that we gather here once again, to witness, and participate in, the graduation of another class of young men and women who successfully completed their studies at the Regional Maritime University. As always, this year’s roll of honour makes impressive reading, serving, as it does, to demonstrate just how the University has grown since its inception.
I commend all stakeholders notably all of us Member states of the University on the new positive trend of helping this University. Yesterday we witnessed the inauguration of facilities sponsored by different Member states and this was very refreshing. We pray that this would be the new dawn of our collective zeal and lust for the development of this great maritime university.
Today, we turn and devote our attention to the graduands of the class of 2025, for whom this ceremony marks the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. And, for all those associated with the University, this event, once again, provides concrete proof of the success that this unique institution has gradually and painstakingly achieved over the years.
In a short while, we will award, Masters, Bachelor of Science degrees and Diplomas to graduands who have fulfilled the requirements of the Statutes and the Regulations of the University, and have been found to be worthy both in character and learning. Detailed statistics of the awards have been captured by the Acting Vice Chancellor in his address to Congregation.
The University’s continuing ability to produce top-quality graduates has given it a well-deserved global recognition for its excellence in Maritime Education and training. High-level Maritime Education and Training will become even more important in the future, as the world becomes more complex, more interdependent and more interconnected, and as safety and environmental awareness continue to play a key part in all efforts to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of shipping in the service of international trade and the world economy.
Essential as this may be – and certainly it is – there are, however, significant variations in the capability of individual States to play their part satisfactorily in these efforts. The University is strategically positioned to focus on human resource development of its member States and beyond. In delivering on this mission, we place due emphasis on training and institutional capacity building.
Since the University came into being, some 67 years ago, Member States have viewed it, and its graduates, as central to the establishment of a global culture that promotes safety and environmental consciousness throughout the maritime industry. The Regional Maritime University here in Accra -Ghana is a truly global centre of excellence for maritime education and other allied fields. Through education, research and capacity building, it serves the global maritime community and is of enormous value to the sub-region in its quest to promote safe, secure and efficient shipping on clean oceans.
The influence of the Regional Maritime University within today’s maritime community cannot be overemphasized. Those who pass through its various programmes go on to become global maritime leaders, experts and professionals. They increase and enhance the capacity of their countries and help to shape and develop effective policies for the maritime community on both the national and the global level. And, through the increasingly important and substantial research work that the University undertakes, it also helps in shipping, and the wider maritime community towards the development of sustainable growth for the future.
Ladies and gentlemen, the good work that Regional Maritime University does, is only made possible and thanks to a group of very generous donors and partners in various Governments and certain sectors of the international maritime community. However, the University would not be able to function without the financial support of a very dedicated core group of donors, who, despite current budgetary constraints worldwide and, consequently, understandable competing priorities, have unfailingly demonstrated, and continue to demonstrate, their commitment to it and their faith in its mission. The list of all those who have assisted the University, and continue doing so, is a long one, as acknowledged by the Acting Vice Chancellor in his report to congregation and I would like to take this opportunity to, once again, express my gratitude to all parties concerned – Governments and organizations alike.
Deserving particular mention are;
• The Republic of Liberia for financing the construction of a two-story dormitory building for the University.
• The Republic of Sierra Leone for the establishment of an Ultra-modern Video Conference Room for the University.
• The Republic of Ghana for supporting the refurbishment GMDSS laboratory with the latest software and two desktop bridge simulators for the University.
• The Republic of The Gambia for hosting and funding the 4th Blue Economy Conference held in Banjul, February 2025.
• Bernhard Schulte Ship Management for the construction of the continental office at the University. Direct Aid International Ghana for a construction of a Mosque for the University Community
• MODEC Ghana for the donation of used training boat with an amount of twenty thousand United States Dollars (USD 20,000) for the University.
I am very grateful for the donors/partners continued financial contributions and assistance in the face of budgetary constraints and competing priorities for scarce resources that Governments face in these turbulent financial times. In view of this developments, there is a need for wide-ranging and generous support to enable the University to realize its full potential. As a result, the Regional Maritime University is seeking further donations that will help it to create a truly world-class maritime academic complex, offering the best possible learning environment for the students and staff.
Let me also extend appreciation to the Management and Staff of RMU. Your commitment and dedication is visible around the campus and in the numbers and hard work being celebrated today.
To the graduands,
This is a momentous occasion for you, your families, friends, guests join with dignitaries from the maritime community and the staff of the University to share in the celebration of your achievements, and you can all feel justifiably proud of what you have accomplished here. I can imagine the various paths you have all taken to reach this destination. A lot have been put into this and like all investments, looking at the results we are celebrating, it was certainly worth all efforts.
You leave the Regional Maritime University enriched by the experience and with the tangible benefit of an academic qualification that is recognized the world over. It is now up to you to make the most of what you have earned here at RMU, by leading the maritime community of today towards a sound and sustainable tomorrow.
The network of friends and colleagues you have established during your time at RMU will no doubt provide invaluable support, both professional and personal, as you pursue careers within the maritime community. Graduating today, you are about to join a much wider network – you might even call it a family – of this University’s alumni, who are spread throughout the shipping world. You will be following in illustrious footsteps.
Many of your predecessors have returned to become Government ministers, deputy ministers and ambassadors of their countries. Others have pursued career paths that have led to senior positions in shipping companies, regional maritime organizations and national port and harbourauthorities. Still, more have become educators and senior surveyors. Collectively, they form a unique band of highly trained maritime experts, and you now have the opportunity to swell the ranks of that network and make your own contribution to the goals we all share.
I congratulate you, once again, graduands of the class of 2025, on your dedication and perseverance and wish you the greatest success as you return to your home countries and respective careers. You are now setting out on a magnificent journey, and I wish you all the very best in your future endeavours. May life be kind to you; may the winds be fair, the tides favourableand the seas calm – and, if none of these are possible, may you have the strength to weather whatever storms life throws in your path: you are well equipped to ride them. I am confident that you will succeed in this. To each of you, I offer my sincere congratulations and my very best wishes for a bright future in the maritime world.
Congratulations!
Thank you very much
