The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has officially welcomed its new Director-General, Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, at a brief handover ceremony held on 30 January 2025 at the Authority’s conference room. The event marked the transition of leadership from the outgoing Director-General, Mr. Thomas K. Alonsi to Dr. Ali.

In his remarks, Mr. Alonsi expressed his gratitude to the management of the authority for their support during his tenure. He highlighted key achievements under his leadership and urged continued commitment to the Authority’s mission of ensuring the effective regulation and development of Ghana’s maritime industry.

He pointed out the construction of a head-office building in Accra, and branch offices at Takoradi and Tema which are at the completion stages of 95%, 96% and 60% respectively. Furthermore, he also mentioned the acquisition of speed boats to foster maritime security in the country’s ports and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the expansion of the operations of the Authority with the establishment of satellite offices at Axim, Yeji, Dambai and the upgrading of the Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System (VTMIS) as some of the notable achievements.

He symbolically presented to his successor a stack of papers containing his handing-over notes, which he said should serve as an important reference, Dr. Ali, ensuring continuity and smooth operations of the Authority.

Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, in his response, acknowledged the contributions of his predecessor and pledged to build on the solid foundation laid. He emphasized his commitment to strengthening Ghana’s maritime sector through innovation, collaboration, and regulatory excellence.

In attendance at this brief but significant ceremony were the Deputy Director-General Technical Operations, Deputy Director-General Finance & Administration and management members of the Authority. The leadership transition marks a new chapter in GMA’s journey toward enhancing safety, security, and efficiency in Ghana’s maritime domain.

The Ghana Maritime Authority congratulates Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali on his appointment and looks forward to a new era.