Director General for the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, has hailed President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Foreign Affairs for their successful negotiations that led to the reversal of recent U.S. visa restrictions, describing the move as a lifeline for thousands of Ghanaian seafarers.
In a post on his Facebook page, Dr. Kamal-Deen cautioned against downplaying the significance of the policy shift, stressing that it was not about “holiday travellers” but rather about protecting livelihoods.
“Some people think this is just about holiday travellers. No. It’s about the jobs and livelihoods of thousands of Ghanaians,” he emphasized.
According to him, Ghana ranks among the top five countries globally where shipping companies recruit seafarers. However, he explained that without a valid U.S. visa—usually spanning two years—many companies would not employ Ghanaian crew members, since most ships call at U.S. ports at least once every six months, and for cruise ships, as many as 60–70% of them dock in the U.S.
Dr. Kamal-Deen revealed that the visa restrictions had already begun taking a toll.
“Just this Wednesday, a shipping company that invested resources in providing the finest training for Ghanaian students for employment into their global fleet sent us a gloomy message.
They could no longer guarantee the employment of the 40 cadets currently ready to be employed within the next few months because of the U.S. visa restrictions,” he said.
He added that another international company, which had been working with the GMA to secure future employment opportunities for about 600 Ghanaian cadets and ratings, had put its plans on hold.
In addition, several firms had started laying off Ghanaian seafarers already employed.
With the diplomatic intervention now yielding results, Dr. Kamal-Deen commended the President and the Foreign Minister for what he called a decisive act of leadership.
“The jobs of thousands of Ghanaian seafarers have been saved by this excellent diplomatic intervention,” he affirmed.
The reversal of the visa policy is expected to restore confidence among international shipping firms and safeguard Ghana’s reputation as a reliable source of skilled seafarers.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
