About The Department

Human Resources (HR) departments exist to add value to an organization by providing objective guidance to management and employees on people-related matters. This work is done through day-to-day support for employees, project work, and long-term strategic planning. A well-managed HR department finds the right people for the job and does what it takes to keep them content and productive. In simplest terms, the HR department of GMA is responsible for managing the employee life cycle (i.e., recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, succession planning) and administering employee benefits, etc.

The primary objectives of the Human Resource Department are to ensure a seamless experience for the staff and other people associated with management and accomplish organizational goals. These objectives include ensuring resource availability, easy access to data, on-time payroll, compliance, etc.HR's primary activities include recruitment, administration, compensation and benefits, training and development, and employee relations and performance management. 

The department is responsible for all hiring of staff of GMA. This begins with identifying vacancies, advertising or directly contacting candidates, interviewing (where required) and notifying applicants through a written communique on the status of their application.The department then submits all documentation in respect of newly recruited staff to the finance and admin departments for finalization of the process.

The HR Department manages employee relations and supervises performance management within the Administration. Performance appraisal is conducted at the end of the year to assess the performance of staffs in relation to their job roles. This process triggers different performance related actions such as promotion, training, redeployment, re-designation, demotion, etc. The department is determined to get the best out of staffs and promote the agenda and vision of GMA in a manner relevant to the country’s development objectives for the maritime sector.

Training Unit

With the evolving nature of workplace dynamics and technological advancements, recruiting and retaining employees with the requisite skill sets are key to the institution's performance. Therefore, continuous capacity-building programs enhance employees’ ability to perform and adapt to evolving challenges and demands in the marketplace, which is also essential for institutions to stay abreast and compete.

Staff motivation can be achieved through training to improve individual and team performance and contribute to greater efficiency among personnel. Moreover, it allows staff to exhibit a proactive approach towards their roles whilst seeking continuous improvement and taking initiative to contribute positively to the achievement of the Administration’s goals and also increase their engagement and loyalty towards the Administration.

Bearing on the above, the Training and Development Unit of the Gambia Maritime Administration was created to oversee the training needs of the Administration by ensuring that professional gaps are filled by staff with the required training needs (in-house, local, and international). With reference to the latter, the Administration partners with institutions in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Italy, UK, and Sweden. Some of the institutions are Regional Maritime University (RMU), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), Tyne Coast College.

In executing its function of building capacities, the unit upholds best practices in ensuring that training is obtained from reputable learning institutions around the globe and in the most conducive environment. It further ensures that equal opportunity is accorded to all staff in a gender-sensitive manner.