The first phase of the African Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) building has been commissioned at the University of Cape Coast.
The project is to ensure continuous and effective research training for postgraduate students in their study of blue ecology.
The facility is part of a three-phase project of the West African Coastal Real Development Programme with funding support from the World Bank.
Speaking at the commissioning, the Director of the Centre of Coastal Management -The Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), Professor Denis Worlanyo Aheto, expressed his profound joy for the successful completion of the building despite the numerous challenges faced.
“We are hoping that other partners will come in to support the completion”, he continued
The grand plan of the University is to have an Africa Ocean Institute at its premises.
The Institute will host three different centres of excellence including ACECoR, the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences and the Centre for Marine Affairs for the first, second and third phases respectively.
The three-phased facility is also to augment the limited space for PhD students.
Prof Aheto emphasized that “whilst at this, we are also working on the path of development, talking with the World Bank to fund the next phase of the project.”
He expressed hope in also developing high-speed internet infrastructure for the next phase to leverage effective online teaching for short courses across the continent.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong maintained that the building will serve as a great example to other institutions as well as a safe channel to reach out to the coastal community.
He therefore advised that the building be put to its best use to enhance more research.
He said the University on its part will continue to support and ensure the influx of international students to the institute.
Prof Johnson Nyarko Boampong called for a proper maintenance culture for the building.
The four-floor facility has several facilities including offices, research commons for partners who come to Cape Coast, a working space for researchers, a well-equipped ultra-modern library, a GIS lab, a communications room for recording videos and a place for PhD students to support online teaching and learning.
Read also: Prof. Aheto calls for concerted efforts to protect blue ecologies
Source: Eric Sekyi & Esther Ofosu/ATLFMNEWS
