The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has suggested that staff layoffs may be necessary to address what it has identified as an issue of excessive staffing.

This follows the completion of an internal audit, which showed that the organization employs far more people than needed for its operations.

In an interview with JoyNews, the Director-General of GMA, Dr. Kamal Deen Ali, discussed the strain the overstaffing has placed on the organization’s budget.

"We have a high budget in the area of compensation for workers’ salaries. Our workforce has grown almost 400% in the last few years. In 2017, we had fewer than 110 staff members, but by 2025, that number has neared 600. This has led to an unsustainable compensation budget," he stated.

Dr. Ali further explained that the growth in staff numbers does not correspond with the GMA’s financial progress or its actual operational requirements.

He noted that the overstaffing issue may lead to a situation where employees lack sufficient tasks, which could hinder productivity.

The Director-General acknowledged that while a layoff is a policy matter, it remains a real possibility.

"We have employees who may not have enough to do. This issue, along with other structural concerns, is being reviewed to bring staffing to a reasonable level…lay off is a policy issue, but yes, lay off is possible," he said.