The Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Regional Maritime University (RMU), Accra, Ghana, Dr Jethro Brooks, has called on African maritime training institutions to collaborate in developing home-grown solutions to tackle the sector’s education and manpower challenges.

Brooks, while making the call at the 2025 graduation ceremony of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, in Akwa Ibom State, said it was time for African maritime trainers to move beyond isolated national efforts and work collectively to strengthen standards, improve employability and address the rising unemployment among African youths.

Going through the history and evolution of RMU, Brooks said the institution was founded in 1957 as the Ghana Nautical College before transitioning to the Regional Maritime Academy in 1983, with five participating countries.

He said the institution attained university status in 2007 and has continued to expand its regional footprint.

According to him, RMU now serves six member countries, including Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Brooks further attributed the wide international acceptance of Ghana’s Certificate of Competency (CoC) to strict professionalism, quality staffing and strong internal control systems that ensure consistent training standards.

“Our focus has always been quality. The people we hire, the systems we run and the checks and balances we have put in place have helped us build credibility over the years,” he stated.
He also praised the close working relationship between RMU and the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), describing it as a strong partnership built on mutual dependence and regulatory discipline.

“We are the training arm and they are the regulators. Without the GMA, it would be difficult for us to operate, especially in areas of CoC and STCW compliance. We have a very good working relationship,” Brooks added.

Brooks commended the management and cadets of MAN for their dedication, describing the institution as a school with strong potential for growth, saying, “They can still develop, but they are on the right path.”

He further disclosed that both institutions are at an advanced stage of discussions to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would formalise cooperation between RMU and MAN.

According to him, the proposed partnership would focus on joint research, student and faculty exchange programmes and broader collaboration in maritime education and capacity building.