University of Cape Coast

Centre for Coastal Management

Coastal Marine Conservation Drive Project Team Engage Stakeholders on Delineation of Marine Protected Areas at Cape Three Points

As part of ongoing activities being implemented under the Coastal and Marine Conservation Drive Project (COMADRIP), the Project team engaged stakeholders in the Ahanta West District in a workshop to validate results obtained from an assessment of some critical marine ecosystems in the district. The workshop brought together scientists, community members, NGOs, media personnel, and government institutions. This provided a common platform for an in-depth discussion on the results from an earlier study on the conservation needs of ecosystems and livelihoods in the Greater Cape Three Points area, out of which a proposal is being made for the delineation of a Marine Protected Area (MPA).

The workshop was opened by Mr. Justice Mensah, who invited the Project Lead, Dr. Alberta Jonah, to deliver a presentation about the COMADRIP Project, the research findings, its purpose, and the expected outcome of its implementation. There was a Q&A session following the presentations, after which the attendees discussed the presented issues in groups. The participants gave some recommendations to be taken as follow-up activities by the project team.

The validation workshop, which was attended by a total of forty-five (45) stakeholders on the 4th of November, 2021 in Agona Nkwanta, was well accepted by the key stakeholders in attendance. Stakeholders at the workshop affirmed the need for the creation of the MPA and pledged their support for the conservation of the area.  Partners from Hen Mpoano, the Wild Life Division of the Forestry Commission, Environmental Protection Agency and Community Heads from Princess Town and Cape 3 Points were in attendance.

COMADRIP is a one-year project being implemented by the Centre for Coastal Management (CCM) –Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), in partnership with Hen Mpoano and the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, to create a Marine Protected Area pilot site in the Western Region of Ghana that will feed into National processes for MPA designation and implementation.