Gambian Government Seeks Technical Cooperation With MOWCA

Eromosele Abiodun

The government of Gambia has reiterated it’s support for Dr Paul Adalikwu, Secretary General of Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) and expressed commitment to the success of his administration. 

Gambian Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, Hon Bai Lamin Jobe, said this in Banjul when he received the MOWCA scribe,who came on a working visit as part of efforts to rebuild confidence, reposition the organisation for efficiency and make it more beneficial to member states.

Jobe expressed profound support for the new leadership of MOWCA and pledged to to contribute to the success of the new SG in many ways including financial commitment of Gambia.

He spoke on Gambia’s determination during the election process to ensure Nigeria and Adalikwu emerge as Secretary General underpinning Nigeria/Gambia decades of relationship.

Aside meeting with the Minister, the MOWCA Secretary General met with Deputy Director General of Gambia Maritime Authority(GMA), Mr. Ousman Torey who listed high freight rates due to bureaucratic challenges and inadequate staff training as part of it’s challenges.

He recalled that GMA had embarked on understudy visits to Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Port of Mombasa in Kenya.

Adalikwu in his response aligned with the GMA needs and promised that they will benefit from being a member of MOWCA.  He informed that engagement is ongoing with the President of World Maritime University in Malmo to ensure technical assistance to member States and Secretary General of IMO in London to provide capacity building for all member countries such as Gambia.