The School of Maritime Operations (SMOPS) has held a closing ceremony for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) Basic Course 3 on Friday, 29 August 2025 at Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Nutekpor - Sogakope.

The two-week training programme, conducted in partnership with the Government of Japan, was held under the theme, “Strengthening Maritime Law Enforcement and the Rule of Law at Sea to Maintain a Free and Open Maritime Space in the Gulf of Guinea”.

The Coordinator for Economic Cooperation at the Japanese Embassy, Madam Izumi Kume reaffirmed the commitment of Government of Japan to maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. She described piracy and armed robbery at sea as major threats to peace and livelihood in the region, emphasizing that the training was timely in enhancing the capacity of maritime law enforcement agencies.

She added that the partnership of Japan with UNODC reflects the long-standing commitment to capacity building and encouraged participants to apply their acquired skills to safeguard their nations and the Gulf of Guinea as a whole.

The Programmes Officer for UNODC in Togo Mr. Soso Asoti expressed appreciation to the Japanese Government and Ghana Navy for their partnership in making the training successful. He urged participants to maintain professional relationships and foster cooperation beyond the classroom in order to achieve their shared security objectives.

In his address, the Guest of Honour and Acting Second-in-Command (2IC) of SMOPS, Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cdr) YA Owusu-Danso commended participants for their commitment to maritime safety and security. He noted that illicit activities in the Gulf of Guinea continue to cause significant losses to West African nations and expressed optimism that the specialised VBSS training would help mitigate these threats.

He congratulated the trainees for their discipline and resilience throughout the course, urging them to sustain the networks built during training and contribute actively to securing the maritime domain.