The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has raised concerns over the strain caused by its expanding workforce, which is now stretching the organisation’s compensation budget beyond sustainable levels.

The issue has prompted discussions about potential staff layoffs, as revealed by GMA's Director-General, Dr. Kamal Deen Ali.

In an interview with JoyNews' Elton Brobbey, Dr. Ali explained that a recent internal audit found the number of staff at GMA far exceeds what is needed to meet its operational requirements. He pointed to the significant rise in the authority’s workforce over the past few years as a major contributor to budgetary challenges.

"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 this rapid increase in staff has not been matched by a corresponding financial growth in the organisation, making it difficult to maintain fiscal balance. He acknowledged that the current over-staffing situation is having broader implications for operational efficiency.

"Employees may not have enough to do. This issue, along with other structural concerns, is being reviewed to bring staffing to a reasonable level," he continued. While Dr. Ali noted that layoffs are not yet finalised, he confirmed that they remain a potential policy option to address the issue. "Lay off is a policy issue, but yes, lay off is possible," he added.

The GMA is currently exploring ways to adjust its staffing structure in a bid to balance its budget and streamline its operations.