Гана получила международный статус страны-участника инициативы по прозрачности в рыболовстве

Ghana has earned international recognition for efforts to improve transparency and accountability in the fisheries sector after being officially designated a Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) Implementing Country. The recognition, granted by the FiTI International Board, acknowledges the country’s progress in creating an enabling environment for transparency, stakeholder participation and collaborative governance in the management of marine fisheries resources. FiTI is a global multi-stakeholder partnership that seeks to increase transparency and participation in the governance of marine fisheries, helping countries make fisheries information more accessible to citizens, industry actors, and civil society organisations. The decision marks a major step in efforts to address longstanding concerns over limited public access to fisheries information, a challenge that has often complicated inclusive decision-making and sustainable resource management. A statement issued by the FiTI International Board on Tuesday said Ghana’s application demonstrated full compliance with all requirements outlined under Section C of the FiTI Standard. It expressed satisfaction not only with the quality of the application but also with the manner in which the process was conducted, noting that it was completed within agreed timelines and carried out in a professional, participatory and inclusive manner. The statement highlighted Ghana’s progress in making fisheries information publicly available through a newly established Fisheries Information System (FIS), which had been integrated into the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture’s website. The development comes three years after the FiTI conducted its “Taking Stock” transparency assessment on Ghana, which found that while some fisheries-related information was publicly available, much of the data required for open and inclusive fisheries management remained inaccessible. “The establishment of the Fisheries Information System represents an important response to those findings and demonstrates Ghana’s commitment to strengthening transparency in the sector,” the statement said. It noted that achieving Implementing Country status laid the foundation for Ghana to begin reaping the benefits of a more transparent and inclusive fisheries sector while demonstrating adherence to international transparency standards. Despite the achievement, sustaining the implementation of the FiTI Standard was expected to require adequate financial and technical resources, it said. Stakeholders say funding remained one of the key challenges that could affect the pace of reforms, data collection, reporting and stakeholder engagement activities needed to meet the initiative’s transparency requirements. Dr Godfred Ameyaw Asiedu, FiTI Regional Coordinator for Anglophone Africa, said inadequate funding was a major obstacle to Ghana’s efforts to improving transparency and accountability in the fisheries sector under FiTI. He noted that funding had restricted the pace and scope of the group’s work. “We could have done more if we had adequate funding,” he told the Ghana News Agency in an interview.