Madam Emelia Arthur, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, has inaugurated a Ministerial Committee to develop an academic curriculum for the Anomabo Fisheries College in the Central Region.
She tasked the Committee with developing a curriculum informed by industry needs and adhered to international best practices – an academic curriculum that links educational outcomes to the practical demands of the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Speaking at the event, the Minister, said the College, which was started in 2012, by the late President, Prof John Evans Atta Mills as an intervention to enhance the expertise and skills of emerging professionals had stalled over the years due to financial constraints and the low capacity of Project contractors.
She said President John Dramani Mahama, upon assumption of office in 2025, was committed to completing critical infrastructure components and operationalising the College and in line with his commitment Gh¢ 80 million from the Ministry of Finance had been allocated for the phase 1 of the project.
“In ensuring that trainees are adequately equipped to meet the challenges and harness the opportunities of the evolving industry, the Committee would review existing models of fisheries and aquaculture training institutions in Ghana and internationally,” she noted.
The core mandates of the Committee are to determine an appropriate name for the college, define the vision, mission, and core values of the College.
Others include proposing an organisational and governance structure (providing roles of the Board, Academic Council, Management and Administrative units).
The rest are identifying priority academic programmes (diploma, degree, certificate, and short courses) and their respective learning outcomes and develop a draft curriculum framework (modules, course content, credit hours, and assessment methods).
The Ministerial Committee has also been tasked to recommend staffing requirements (academic, administrative, and technical staff) and suggest strategies for industry linkage, internship and community engagement
It is also mandated to propose mechanisms for quality assurance, accreditation, continuous curriculum review and outline resources and other infrastructure needs to support the programmes.
“The Ministerial Committee shall submit a final report with recommendations for consideration by the Ministry and they have two months to work and submit the report,” Madam Arthur, said.
Members of the Committee are Madam Emelia Arthur, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, who is the Chairperson, Mr John Quayson, Member, Prof Benjamin Campion, Fisheries Commission, Prof. Elvis Nyarko, Former Vice Chancellor, Regional Maritime University and Mr Eric Baah, Director, Policy, Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation, who is the Committee’s Secretary.
Others are Captain William Wricketts, Regional Maritime University, Prof. Ernest Abano, University of Cape Coast, Dr Aggrey Fynn, University of Cape Coast, Prof George Wiafe, Edenway Foundation, Dr. Angela Lamptey
University of Ghana and Dr Andrews Apraku, University of Energy and Natural Resources.
The rest are Dr Ayisi Larbi, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Madam Comfort Naa Komely Adjetey, Council of State, Mr Joojo Solomon, National Fisheries Association of Ghana, Nana Kweigyah, Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana and Madam Llona Appiah, Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association Representative.
Madam Arthur said Phase I of the project comprise a two-storey Classroom Block, two-storey Administration Block, Laboratory Block, Hostel Block, bungalows for the Principal and staff quarters were at various stages of completion.
“Work is progressing steadily to ensure the critical components were completed, furnished and operationalised for the first intake of students and trainees by the first quarter of 2026,” she added.