FSSE Hosts ACECoR Team to Explore Data Repository for Marine and Coastal Resources in Ghana
The Faculty of Social Sciences Education (FSSE) of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), hosted a delegation from the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to discuss the creation of a data repository on Ghana’s marine and coastal resources. The meeting at the Geographic Information System (GIS) laboratory brought together faculty members, researchers, and students from FSSE.
Led by Dr. Emmanuel Acheampong, the ACECoR team emphasised the critical role UEW has played in producing high-impact research on Ghana’s coastal and marine resources. Dr. Acheampong noted that while these scholarly contributions are impressive, they represent only a fraction of the existing data, creating challenges for decision-makers seeking to address contextual issues at specific study sites. He highlighted the risks posed by the fragmentation and storage of data on individual laptops or cloud platforms, which are susceptible to theft, damage, or loss, further impeding accessibility to valuable marine and coastal information.
To address these challenges, ACECoR introduced the Regional Coastal and Oceans Data Hub (ROC), an innovative online repository designed to centralise data on coastal and marine resources. Supported by key marine sector agencies such as the Fisheries Commission - Ghana, the West Africa Coastal Area Management Programme, and Sea Around Us, the platform aggregates data in diverse formats, including text, GPS files, video/audio recordings, and statistical software outputs. This centralised system aims to enhance research, inform policy-making, and promote sustainable governance of ocean resources.
According to Dr. Acheampong, the platform offers significant advantages to data creators and users, including the faculty of Social Sciences Education, and is accessible at no cost. He described the repository as a tool for fostering collaboration among scholars and practitioners, thereby amplifying the impact of research outputs.
Dr. Kwame Odame, representing FSSE, expressed appreciation for the initiative, describing the platform as timely and valuable for advancing innovative research and bridging the gap between academic findings and policy implementation. While faculty members showed interest in collaborating with ACECoR on the ROC initiative, Dr. Odame emphasised the importance of addressing critical issues such as data ownership, rights, and ethical considerations before finalising any partnership.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to explore further engagements between FSSE and ACECoR, paving the way for enhanced research capabilities and more effective decision-making for sustainable coastal and marine resource management in Ghana.
