University of Cape Coast

Centre for Coastal Management

A three-day workshop was held in Takoradi at Ray Bow Hotel from 8th September to 10th September, 2016 to discuss and finalize the third year work plan and also review the second year annual report of the USAID/UCC Fisheries and Coastal Management Capacity Building Support Project. Major highlights of the workshop was to account and report on progress of the Project at the end of Year 2 and also discuss and plan several activities for Year 3. The Project Manager, Dr. Denis Aheto, therefore highlighted some of the achievements including the improvement of students’ performance, renovation of the laboratory at DFAS (now Fisheries and Coastal Research Laboratory) and lectures’ offices, purchase of four vehicles, a research vessel, and short-term technical supports for development of various training manuals.

He also announced that a website has been developed for Center for Coastal Management (CCM) which would be launched soon, and that a journal and a knowledge management system called ‘FishCoM GHANA’ are ready to be launched in year three. Dr Noble Asare, Head of Department briefed the participants on some of the challenges they have encountered in year two. Notable amongst them were the delay in the release of funds, some procurement challenges and delay in the renovation of the lecturers’ offices due to ill health and passing of the consultant. Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boapong the Dean of School of Biological Science represented the Vice Chancellor praised the project team for good work done and assured them for his unflinching support.

The participants commended the project team and its board for the massive achievements chalked at the end of second year of the project life cycle. They also expressed their satisfaction to the well thought-out work plan that has been formulated by the project team for year three. The participants made significant suggestions to the year three work plan which were accepted by the project team. It was agreed that the project team will have regular meetings with the administration team comprising finance, audit, stores and procurement departments to thrash out any outstanding issues and also bring to their notice any new developments concerning the project. It was recommended that the project team should put in place a communication system to enable them continuously publicize the numerous success stories of the project. Participants at the workshop were impressed with the organization.