Unity Key To Achieving Social-economic Transformation – Pres. Boakai 

By Ibrahim A.Sherif

ACCRA, GHANA, June 30 (LINA) – President Joseph N. Boakai has underscored the need for Africans across the globe to cultivate the culture of unity, indicating that it is essential to achieving irreversible socio-economic transformation.

The Liberian leader emphasized that the African continent has the potential to be a global leader if Africans harness their resources effectively and collectively.

President Boakai made the comments Saturday, June 29, 2024, when he delivered the Keynote address at the 18^th commencement ceremony of the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Ghana.

He called on leaders of the five member states of Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone to increase support to the RMU as a means of sustaining the good works of the institution.

“As President of Liberia, I pledge our unwavering support to the RMU, committing to elevate this institution to unmatched heights on the continent and beyond," President Boakai said.

The Liberian leader lauded the innovation of the founding fathers of the RMU for their innovative decision to establish the institution as a means of preparing the continent for the shipping industry which they knew would ultimately be the primary source of international trade and commerce.

He pointed out that conceiving the idea of a regional university was visionary, stressing that such collaborative effort is a testament to the foresight of the founding fathers and a mark of Pan-Africanism, pioneered by visionaries like Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana.  

Also, President Boakai recognized the enduring unity and cooperation among the member states in maintaining the RMU for over 41 years, noting that such significant venture, which unites five countries to pool resources for the common good of the region and its people, aligns with the aspirations of the founding fathers of the African Union.

Meanwhile, President Boakai expressed his appreciation over the significant progress and transformation the RMU has achieved over the years, establishing itself as one of Africa’s leading maritime universities.

He asserted that such remarkable success is because of hard work, dedication, and the visionary leadership of the University’s faculty, citing, "We, as member states of the RMU, remain indebted to you for the greatness you have nurtured within these walls". 

The RMU began as the Ghana Maritime Academy in 1958, a small learning institution owned by the Government of Ghana. In 1983, it evolved into the Regional Maritime Academy when four other West African countries joined to share the responsibilities of running the institution.

Decades later, on October 25, 2007, it attained full university status and was launched as the Regional Maritime University by the former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor.