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A retired Naval Officer, Captain Emmanuel Komeng, has proposed that the Ghana Navy be given legal backing to enforce the country's maritime law. He said this at a one-day seminar on oil organized by Penuel Management Consultancy and Arbitration Services under theme "The Impact of Ghana's Oil Discovery and Maritime Safety and Security" at Takoradi. His topic was "Challenges of Maritime Safety Emanating From Ghana's Oil Discovery." Capt Komeng said the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), which is the regulatory agency of the country's maritime industry, is not able to effectively enforce the law because it does not have an intelligence unit. He said the Ghana Navy could be mandated to enforce the maritime law in collaboration with the GMA because it has an intelligence unit which is crucial for law enforcement. Capt Komeng said the Maritime Law was passed in 2004 but it does not have provisions on the country's emerging oil industry and should therefore be amended to meet the challenges of the industry. He appealed to the government to set up a National Maritime Security Committee to assist it to develop a maritime policy and advise it on maritime matters. Mr Ayaa Kojo Armah, a lecturer at the Oceanography Department of the University of Ghana, Legon, spoke on "Challenges of Maritime Safety Emanating From Ghana's Oil Discovery". He debunked fears that the environment would be severely affected in event of an oil spillage when drilling begins, saying a study had shown that oil spillage would have minimal negative environmental impact as drilling would take place off-shore. Mr Armah spoke against the use of para military guards to maintain security in areas where oil had been discovered and said the Ghana Navy is well placed to maintain security off-shore and it should be well resourced to carry out this responsibility.