The Ghana Maritime Authority is pushing to ensure seafaring, a rather male-dominated job, becomes attractive to women.
According to the Authority, Ghana currently has only 19 women Seafarers even though the country produced the first African female ship captain.
Seafarers are individuals who are employed to work in various capacities in ships. They ensure the smooth operation of the ship as well as its maintenance. These workers are often away for nine to twelve months at a time.
Their jobs have been classified as some of the most dangerous jobs in the world as they are exposed to a high diversity of occupational health hazards onboard ships. Seafaring is mostly dominated by men as women make up only 2 percent of the workforce.
In Ghana, women Seafarers according to the Ghana Maritime Authority are less than 20. Therefore as part of plans to mark this year’s Day of the Seafarer, Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Thomas Kofi Alonsi reveals the Authority’s drive to ensure seafaring is attractive to women.
“It is also a campaign for younger girls to look up to the Maritime Industry when selecting their future careers,” he stated at a press conference yesterday.
The Ghana Maritime Authority has also charged Ghanaians especially women to take advantage of the Regional Maritime Academy in the country to develop their skills and knowledge to help boost the country’s Maritime Industry.
Mr. Alonsi stated further that: “we contribute financially to that University and so we want Ghanaians especially women to take advantage of that facility to develop a skill in the maritime industry.”
