Sonia Kwami was appointed as Oceana’s new leader in Ghana in March 2026. She is an experienced campaigner, movement builder, and development leader with over 22 years of experience advancing social, economic, environmental, and climate justice. Kwami holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Master of Arts in Democracy, Governance, Law, and Development from the University of Cape Coast, as well as an Executive Leadership Certificate from the University of Oxford. Based in Accra, she also serves on several boards to help strengthen governance and civil society.
What draws you to ocean advocacy?
SK: I am a campaigner. I love to fight for justice, from ensuring equitable education for girls to campaigning for climate action. The opportunity to work with fisherfolk, local communities, and women in the fishing industry brings all those passions together.
Millions of Ghanaians rely a lot on the ocean for food and livelihoods. We also go to the sea for recreation – the beaches are filled with families during the holidays! As amazing as our coast is, Ghanaians are concerned about the polluting of our oceans. This problem is of national interest: Our food security, our tourism, and the wellbeing of our communities. That’s what drew me to this work.
Tell us about your personal connection to the ocean.
SK: I grew up in Accra for much of my childhood, right on Ghana’s coast. Every time we drove by the ocean I was drawn in by its vastness. I remember constantly asking my mother, “Does the ocean have an end?” She would always tell me, “no, it has no end!”
The ocean truly has endless opportunities. It’s a critical food source. I remember women coming to the house when I was a child to sell fish. (We Ghanaians love to spice and grill fish!) When I see the ocean today, I don’t just see water, I see something that connects all of us. Even those who are far away from the ocean in Ghana still rely on fish.
What are the biggest threats facing Ghana’s waters today?
SK: In addition to environmental threats like pollution, there are also threats from illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Some industrial trawlers are making it difficult for smaller or artisanal fishers to catch enough fish. People want more transparency about who owns these vessels, where they are registered, and where the fish end up – whether that’s on the shores of Ghana or other countries. There are also too many boats in general, which leads to overfishing.
The issues are urgent. Fishers say they don’t get enough fish; catch is reduced year by year. This also impacts the women who process and sell fish, and families who consume the fish. In Ghana, fish powder is commonly used in locally-prepared baby food, so declining fisheries have consequences for children’s health as well. When fishing livelihoods disappear, it even affects community safety. These are conversations happening in communities all the time.
We cannot wait for the oceans to be completely depleted to know that we have a crisis. It is a ticking time bomb. While we’ve been working on these issues for many years, Oceana is joining at a time when there is a lot of momentum.
Tell us about Ghana’s new fisheries law and why it’s important.
SK: In September 2025, our government passed the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, which presents a lot of opportunities to protect local fishers and everyone who depends on the fishing value chain. We also expanded our inshore exclusion zone from six to 12 nautical miles, giving small-scale fishers greater protection from industrial trawlers.
These are significant steps, but strong implementation and enforcement will be important. There’s a strong interest – both on the part of our government and local communities – to restore our fisheries, especially given concerns about dwindling catch. Now it’s about making sure those protections deliver real benefits for the people who depend on the sea every day.
What do you and Oceana hope to accomplish in Ghana?
SK: We want to ensure that Ghana’s oceans remain healthy and productive for generations
to come. That starts with building strong community relationships. Our campaigns will be based on the key issues that our communities identify as critical.
We must protect local fish from unscrupulous big vessels who try to overfish illegally. At the end of the day, we’re campaigning so that families can actually access fish, children have better nutrition, and people have reliable livelihoods. I’m excited to advocate alongside communities so that their rights and institutions are supported and protected.
What inspires you the most about working with coastal communities?
SK: I’m inspired by their passion. They are committed! Many of these families have been fishing for generations and they have been able to live from the sea. If you go to the beach, you will see what I call “organized chaos.” People are shouting to buy or sell fish. Others are mending their nets. Canoes are lined up on the coastline. It is a whole community of people who depend on the oceans. Making sure that people can rely on this source of income, advocate for themselves, take care of their families, and access education and healthcare is what drives me.
