May 12, 2025 | Ada-Foah – Greater Accra Region
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MoFA) has concluded a landmark three-day strategic retreat aimed at accelerating reforms in Ghana’s fisheries and aquaculture sector. Held from May 7–9, 2025, at the Heartland Hotel in Ada-Foah, the retreat convened senior officials from MoFA, the Fisheries Commission (FC), and the National Premix Fuel Secretariat (NPFS) under the theme:
“Charting a Sustainable Future – Innovation, Accountability, and Collaboration in Fisheries Management.”
Facilitated by the Earth Synergy Initiative (esi), the retreat provided a high-impact platform for reflection, realignment, and action planning across the marine, inland, and aquaculture subsectors. Over three days, leaders from across the sector co-developed a unified Change Vision, mapped strategic priorities, and created new accountability frameworks to drive lasting change.
Participant at the workshop.
Day 1: Shared Vision for Change: The retreat opened with powerful remarks from the Minister, Hon. Emelia Arthur, who stressed the urgency of transformation through collaboration, innovation, and results-oriented leadership. Day 1 was devoted to building a shared understanding of sectoral challenges and uncovering key institutional constraints and drivers of change. Participants took part in interactive group discussions and visioning exercises, laying the groundwork for a unified approach.
Day 2: Strategic Priorities and Solutions: Day 2 saw the sector’s most pressing issues brought to the table through Innovation Cafés and problem-solving clinics. Topics included aquaculture development, premix fuel accountability, compliance with EU fisheries regulations (the yellow card), and revitalizing capacity at the Anomabo Fisheries College. These discussions culminated in the drafting of a comprehensive work program matrix to guide coordinated action across all sub-sectors.
Day 3: Commitments and Closure
The final day marked a powerful close to a transformative retreat. Participants finalized key action plans, assigned institutional responsibilities, and discussed a sector-wide communication strategy and a reform tracker to monitor progress.One of the retreat’s major highlights was the official unveiling of the new MoFA Vision Statement:
“A sustainable, well-governed, and resilient Fisheries and Aquaculture sector, driven by equity, innovation, and strategic investments, delivering food security, decent jobs, economic growth, resource and environmental stewardship, and contributing to the National Blue Economy Agenda.”
Participants also laid the foundation for a National Fisheries Dialogue to deepen stakeholder engagement and explored opportunities within Ghana’s emerging Blue Economy.
As Ghana moves forward, the outcomes of this retreat underscore a collective commitment to innovation, accountability, and sustainability. With bold leadership and strengthened collaboration, the nation is well-positioned to ensure that its fisheries sector continues to be a pillar of food security, livelihoods, and economic growth.
