Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience |  University of Cape Coast

The Director-General of Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Professor Ahmed Jinapor, has led a delegation of representatives from the Association of African Universities (AAU) and GTEC for an NFU ACE Impact Implementation Plan visit to the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

The visit, according to Prof. Jinapor, was to interact with staff of the Centre to know firsthand the progress, and shortfalls of the ACECoR project, which will end in 2025, as well as the sustainability plans of the Centre.

For his part, the Director of the Centre for Coastal Management - The Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), Prof. Denis Aheto, who received the delegation, thanked the Director-General of GTEC and his entourage for the visit, describing it as worthwhile.

He chronicled the ACECoR’s journey from its inception under the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, to its transition to the Centre, highlighting the role the University of Cape Coast (UCC) management played in its establishment. He also responded to the question of the sustainability of the Centre by explaining the laid down plans and actions to transition the Centre into an Africa Ocean Institute. 

Prof. Aheto also gave a presentation rundown on the Disbursement Link Indicators (DLIs), success stories, and challenges of the ACECoR.

Prof. Jinapor as part of his remarks after the presentation by the ACECoR director indicated that ACECoR is a Centre of Excellence worthy of emulation by other Centres in the country and urged the authorities of ACECoR to redouble their efforts to secure another grant from the World Bank to continue the ACECoR Project, which will end in 2025. he further commended the Association of African Universities (AAU) for its unflinching support to ACECoR over the years.

 After interacting with the ACECoR team, Prof. Jinapor and the delegation toured the offices of ACECoR and had a brief meeting with postgraduate students of the Centre.

In a brief remark, the Program Manager for the World Bank-funded African Higher Education Centers of Excellence for Development Impact project at the Association of African Universities, Dr Sylvia Chindime Mkandawire, extolled ACECoR for the good work done since the inception of the project.

"The work you have done is quite impressive," she added.

Dr.Mkandawire urged ACECoR to reflect beyond its performance to attract more regional partners to the Centre.

Also present at the meeting were the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Prof. Moses Joojo Eghan; the Dean of the School of Biological Sciences, Prof. Aaron Asare, and other staff members of the University.

Officials accompanying the GTEC Director-General on his visit were Dr. Edmund Alangdong, Head of Policy and Planning, GTEC; Mr Mohammed Awal, Secretary; Mr Charles Mbeah, Head of Public Relations at GTEC, and Mr. Daniel Akansake, Quality Assurance Director.