Ghana seeks continued Danish support to expand modern boatbuilding training – Dr Apaak

Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has called on the Government of Denmark and the Confederation of Danish Industry to sustain their support for Ghana’s modern composite boatbuilding training programme.

He said continued cooperation through technical assistance, instructor training, curriculum development, equipment and industry exchanges would help Ghana develop the expertise needed to build a competitive boatbuilding industry.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Training of Trainers (ToT) programme at ProZero Ghana Ltd. at the Sekondi Fishing Harbour in Takoradi, Dr. Apaak said the government was ready to collaborate with its partners to advance the initiative.

“We invite the Government of Denmark and the Confederation of Danish Industry to remain with us for the next phase of this work, and, where possible, to go further,” he said.

“Continued support, whether through further Training-of-Trainers rounds, technical assistance, curriculum development, equipment, industry exchanges, or a gradual expansion of the programme, would meaningfully strengthen Ghana’s lasting capacity in modern boatbuilding,” he added.

The Deputy Minister said the government would work with the Danish partners, the Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA), the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) and ProZero Ghana to structure the next phase.

The programme is a collaboration involving ProZero Ghana, GEA, the Confederation of Danish Industry and CTVET, with support from the Government of Denmark. It seeks to equip instructors with the knowledge and practical skills needed to train the next generation of modern composite boatbuilders.

Instructors from technical institutions in Tema and Takoradi participated in the programme and received certification at the closing ceremony.

Dr. Apaak commended the partners for translating the initiative into a practical training programme, saying each organisation had contributed to linking technical education with the needs of Ghanaian industry.

“The Ghana Employers’ Association ensured it stayed grounded in what Ghanaian industry actually needs,” he said.

He also praised the Confederation of Danish Industry for bringing industry-based training experience to the programme and acknowledged CTVET and the participating technical institutions for their contributions.

According to Dr. Apaak, the initiative reflects the value of international cooperation and public-private partnerships in developing technical skills and supporting industrial transformation.

He said the training of instructors was particularly important because it would enable the skills acquired to be passed on to more learners over time.

“Invest in an instructor, and that investment multiplies. What these graduates carry forward today will reach hundreds, and eventually thousands, of learners across our technical institutions in the years ahead,” he said.

Dr. Apaak added that Ghana’s maritime sector needed skilled workers to support fisheries, marine transport, inland waterways and coastal economies.

He expressed confidence that the first cohort of trainers would provide a foundation for a sustainable and globally competitive boatbuilding industry, while urging the graduates to uphold high standards in training future professionals.

He said the Ministry of Education would continue working with CTVET, industry and development partners to widen access to quality technical and vocational training and extend the programme to more institutions where demand and capacity allowed.