The Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Dr. Kamal-deen Ali, has hinted at possible staff layoffs as part of efforts to streamline operations and align the authority’s workforce with its budget.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the retired Naval Captain and maritime law expert explained that the number of employees had grown significantly from about 110 in 2017 to over 600 by January 2025.
“Layoff is possible,” he stated, emphasizing that the current staffing levels and budget were unreasonable.
Dr. Ali stressed that the move would not only allow the Authority to work with a more sustainable budget but also create an opportunity to select employees with the right expertise to drive transformation.
“At some point, you need to have a certain kind of brains to help expand the Authority,” he noted.
He added that some of the greatest ship captains are Ghanaians, but for the Authority to grow effectively, it must strategically match its workforce to its ambitions, as envisioned by the President.