The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, has made a strong appeal to the Government of Denmark and the Confederation of Danish Industry to maintain their backing for Ghana’s contemporary composite boatbuilding training initiative.
According to him, sustaining this crucial cooperation via technical assistance, specialised instructor training, curriculum enhancement, equipment supply, and industry exchanges is vital for helping Ghana cultivate the necessary technical expertise to build a competitive boatbuilding sector.
Dr Apaak made the appeal during the closing ceremony of the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme held at ProZero Ghana Ltd., situated within the Sekondi Fishing Harbour in Takoradi. He underscored that the government remains fully prepared to collaborate with its international partners to drive the project forward.
“We invite the Government of Denmark and the Confederation of Danish Industry to remain with us for the next phase of this work, and, where possible, to go further,” he stated.
“Continued support, whether through further Training-of-Trainers rounds, technical assistance, curriculum development, equipment, industry exchanges, or a gradual expansion of the programme, would meaningfully strengthen Ghana’s lasting capacity in modern boatbuilding,” he added.
The initiative is structured as a collaborative effort involving ProZero Ghana, the Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA), the Confederation of Danish Industry, and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), with backing from the Danish government. It aims to furnish instructors with essential knowledge and practical competencies to groom the upcoming generation of modern composite boatbuilders.
Instructors drawn from various technical institutions across Tema and Takoradi successfully completed the course and were awarded certificates during the ceremony.
Dr Apaak lauded the collaborating bodies for translating the concept into a tangible training programme, noting that every stakeholder played a pivotal role in aligning technical education with the practical demands of Ghanaian industries.
“The Ghana Employers’ Association ensured it stayed grounded in what Ghanaian industry actually needs,” he remarked.
He further commended the Confederation of Danish Industry for introducing invaluable industry-based training experience, while also expressing appreciation to CTVET and the participating technical institutions for their immense contributions.
The Deputy Minister emphasised that the project exemplifies the immense benefits of international cooperation and public-private partnerships in fostering technical skills and spearheading industrial transformation. He pointed out that focusing on instructor training is strategically sound because it creates a multiplier effect for knowledge transfer.
“Invest in an instructor, and that investment multiplies. What these graduates carry forward today will reach hundreds, and eventually thousands, of learners across our technical institutions in the years ahead,” he stressed.
Highlighting the economic importance of the sector, Dr Apaak noted that Ghana’s maritime landscape urgently requires a skilled workforce to bolster fisheries, marine transport, inland waterways, and coastal economies.
While expressing optimism that the pioneer batch of trainers will lay a robust foundation for a sustainable and globally competitive industry, he charged the graduates to maintain high standards when grooming future professionals.
He concluded by assuring that the Ministry of Education will press ahead with its collaboration with CTVET, industry stakeholders, and development partners to broaden access to quality technical and vocational education, extending the programme to more institutions as demand and institutional capacity permit.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
