IMANI Ghana recently undertook a strategic working visit and policy dialogue with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture. The engagement forms part of a structured series of high-level meetings initiated by IMANI at the eighteen-month mark of the current administration to interact with key Ministers of State and their technical teams.

The delegation, led by IMANI Ghana Founding President Franklin Cudjoe, included Sitsofe Mensah and Kay Codjoe. They met with the Honorable Minister, Emelia Arthur, and key technical officials on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.

Objectives and Core Areas of the Dialogue

The visit was specifically designed as a fact-finding and alignment dialogue centered on fostering a deeper, empirically grounded understanding of the sector’s operational realities and strategic trajectory. Recognizing that standard public reporting often fails to capture governance nuances and implementation hurdles, the discussions focused on several core areas:

• The Baseline Assessment: Reviewing an overview of the state of the Ministry, its agencies, and ongoing projects as inherited upon the administration’s assumption of office.
• Vision and Performance Tracking: Examining the administration’s strategic vision and the specific metrics utilized to track progress against set goals.
• Operational Challenges: Discussing the systemic, financial, legislative, and administrative hurdles the Ministry is actively navigating.
• Milestones and Successes: Highlighting key achievements, policy wins, and critical initiatives chalked up over the past year and a half.

Mr. Cudjoe explained that public policy thrives on public consensus, noting that the ultimate goal of the framework is to help tell the Ministry’s story better. By gaining firsthand insight into the mechanics of the Ministry’s mandate, IMANI aims to contextualize its work within the broader national discourse and catalyze informed public support for pragmatic solutions.

Technical Briefings and Data-Driven Governance

Raphael Edu-Gyan, Principal Planning Officer of PPBMED, briefed the delegation on the Ministry’s vision, mission, mandate, agencies, key challenges, achievements, and plans. The presentation highlighted ongoing efforts to promote sustainable fisheries management, strengthen aquaculture, and improve livelihoods.

During the discussions, IMANI Associate Sitsofe Mensah emphasized the importance of reliable and comprehensive data to demonstrate the economic contribution of fisheries. He underscored the need for regular tracking of detailed information, such as employment figures, job locations, job types, and taxes generated by businesses across the fisheries value chain, to inform policy decisions and keep the public updated.

In response, Hon. Emelia Arthur expressed appreciation for IMANI Ghana’s engagement. She highlighted the Ministry’s active efforts to develop an integrated fisheries and marine information system designed to improve data sharing among the Ministry and its agencies, bridge existing data gaps, and strengthen institutional coordination.

The visit concluded with a shared commitment between the Ministry and IMANI Ghana to leverage stronger research, reliable data, and evidence-based policymaking to drive effective fisheries governance.