Building the Capacity in West Africa for Hydrographic Science through Development of an Academic Program at the Regional Maritime University in Accra, Ghana

Measuring and charting the seafloor, river and lakes, and how they change with time are key aspects of the field of hydrography. Although hydrography is critical for effectively managing maritime resources, of the 29 countries worldwide that have hydrography programs accredited by the Intl. Hydrographic Organization (IHO), along with its partner institutions, Egypt is the only country in Africa that has a certified hydrography program. The Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Accra, Ghana has been working to develop an accredited hydrography program. It has a board with 5 member countries including The Gambia, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and draws students from a diverse set of west African countries, making it well suited to be a center for hydrographic education in the region. Through participation in the Coastal Ocean Environment Summer School in Ghana (COESSING), beginning in 2017, the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has begun a collaboration with RMU, helping their efforts to develop an IHO certified program in hydrography. The expensive instrumentation required for hydrographic surveying is available to RMU thorough its partnership with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, which has a well- resourced hydrographic survey team. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has created obstacles, some prior momentum has kept progress from stopping. Last year Ghana formally became a member of the IHO. Hydrography continues to be part of the COESSING curriculum, including during the virtual COESSING of summer 2020. A Ghanaian student received an MS in Hydrography from USM in 2020. RMU's developing relationship with the University of Ghana, which has a Department of Marine and Fisheries Science, could include participation in the hydrographic science program and help develop the natural ties between mapping and charting and marine resource management and ocean science in West Africa.