The Ghana Chapter of the Women in Maritime Africa (WIMA) will host a sensitization seminar to highlight the need for the country to explore the full potential of Volta Lake to improve on the lives of coastal dwellers, especially women in commercial ventures on June 22, at Akwamufie in the Eastern Region.
The event forms part of the association’s activities to mark this year’s World Oceans Day, which is on the theme: “Gender and the Oceans”.
WIMA Ghana’s event will pool together transport specialists and industry stakeholders to share best practices on how to sustainably harness the country’s marine resources for economic empowerment, especially for women who work tirelessly its stretch to create a living.
“As an empowerment group, WIMA Ghana aligns itself with this year’s World Ocean’s Day theme and has chosen to celebrate the occasion with the women involved in the fishing industry along the Volta Lake.
We believe that the Volta Lake is an indispensable resource to not only to the Ghanaian economy but also to the people of Akwamufie thus, it must be protected and utilized pragmatically,” a statement copied to B&FT indicated.
The event on the theme “Maximizing the resources of Lake Volta for women’s empowerment”, will also include a pep-talk by the reigning Miss Tourism World Africa and former Miss Tourism Ghana 2016, Geraldine Atta Sappor, to educate women in various businesses along the coast on how some negative practices such as the pollution of water bodies and beaches affects their sources of income.
The one-day programme is being organized in collaboration with the ministries of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Gender and Children and Transport.
The event will be graced by Nana Afrakoma II, Queenmother of the Akwamu Traditional Area, who is celebrating her 55th anniversary on the throne, and a promoter of alternative life skills for women within the community.
WIMA Ghana is the local chapter of Women in Maritime Africa (WIMA) which was established in Luanda, Angola in 2015.
The association aims to be a partner in the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, AIM Strategy 2050 and also play a pivotal role in building Ghana’s blue economy.