The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), has flagged off a week-long training programme on Maritime Security Reporting Course (MRSC) for journalists across West African countries.
The programme taking place in Ghana is being organised with funding from the government of Denmark, through the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as part of the five-year project on “Integrated Responses to Threats to Maritime Safety and Security in the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Domain in West and Central Africa.”
The course seeks to enhance the capacity of selected journalists and media liaisons to understand, collaborate and report accurately on maritime issues and support efforts to reduce maritime criminality in the region.
In his welcome address, Commandant of KAIPTC, Maj. Gen. Richard Addo Gyane, the underscored the importance of building the capacity of the media.
He acknowledged the power of the media, adding that they need a critical understanding of maritime issues to properly report on the sector.
He said: “This course is the second of the series of courses on Maritime Security Reporting in the Gulf of Guinea. The first one was successfully piloted in Takoradi in May this year.
“This course also forms part of the capacity-building outputs of the ‘Integrated Responses to Threats to Maritime Safety and Security in the GoG Domain,’ a five-year project generously supported by the Government of Denmark.
“Overarching goal of this project is to establish a collaborative platform among stakeholders in the Gulf of Guinea maritime sector. “
