AIR VICE MARSHAL FRANK HANSON (RTD)

Board Chair

AVM Frank Hanson was the Chief of Air Staff of the Ghana Air Force from January 2019 to January 2023. He holds an MSc in Strategic Studies with Grand Strategy Concentration and as an ardent Peacekeeper, he served with the United Nations and African Union as a strategic Military and Aviation planner. He is an expert in national and international security. An astute and highly experienced military instructor pilot. AVM Hanson has worked with leading aircraft manufacturers to develop the "static aircraft carrier concept"; for Tactical Air support for Maritime Operations (TASMO) as well as offshore Special Forces Operations. His tenure at the helm of affairs at the Ghana Air Force saw a holistic interoperability between the Ghana Navy and the Ghana Air Force. Additionally, he has participated in several AU and UN missions across the continent and was part of the consultative team that worked on Ghana's National Integrated Maritime Strategy. He is an alumni of the Harvard University, the US Air University, the US Air War College, Command and Staff College, Ghana, Command Staff College, Nigeria and brings over 30 years of experience in deep understanding of diplomacy, global geopolitical matters, Aviation, National Security and Strategic Leadership to the Institute.

JEFFREY LANDSMAN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, U.S. NAVAL WAR COLLEGE (Rtd), CAPT, USN (RTD)

A former surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy, attaining the rank of Captain with primary assignments aboard frigates and destroyers, in the areas of weapons systems and shipboard operations. He has extensive knowledge and experience serving on combined, joint, and fleet level staffs and with coalition partners in Africa, Indo-Pacific and Europe. In addition to servicing on six commands as a commanding officer, he was assigned as the Maritime and Military Advisor to the African Union while posted to the U.S. Mission to the African Union. Recently retiring as an associate professor from the U.S. Naval War College’s International Programs Department, he supported the development and execution of the Maritime Security and Governance Staff Course and led the Africa Maritime Security Elective. Prior to joining IP, he was assigned to the College of Naval War Studies as a war game director for a variety of naval, joint and multi-national games. Over the course of his career, he has guest-lectured and authored a number of reports on coalition building; multinational cooperation; and wargame design, development, execution and final analysis. Presently, he serves on the Board of Advisors to the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Institute and as a subject matter expert for Africa maritime affairs at National Defense University’s Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS).

Mrs. KATHLEEN QUARTEY AYENSU, ESQ

Kathleen Quartey Ayensu, Esq. has been called to the Bars of Ghana, England and Wales, and the District of Columbia. Over decades she has practiced civil, administrative, and international law. She was among the earliest and youngest Ghanaian women to earn an advanced degree in law. She began her career at the Ministry of Justice, Ghana, and became the first female Ghanaian delegate to the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea. Most recently, she served as a Commissioner at the African Union Commission on International Law where she was also its Special Rapporteur on Piracy and Maritime Security. She is a former Member of the Governing Council of Eminent Persons of the National African Peer Review Mechanism. Kathleen Quartey Ayensu was appointed Chairperson of the inaugural Ocean Governance Conference in Accra. Prior to that, she had served as National Coordinator for the 7th Meeting of Ministers for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States, also held in Accra. She has held some of the highest professional offices in law, including Attorney General of the British Virgin Islands, Chief State Attorney of the Republic of Ghana, and Attorney in leading Washington, DC law firms. In these roles, she has acted as Special Legal Advisor to former Presidents of Ghana, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Cabinet of the Virgin Islands. Kathleen Quartey Ayensu has served on a variety of professional and social boards and committees. She has frequently been invited as a Guest Lecturer on international law, justice, and development in the USA, Switzerland, the African Union, and Caribbean States. Notably, she delivered a lecture series on Piracy and Maritime Security at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre. She currently serves as a Member of the Advisory Board of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute and is also a Member of the Council for Foreign Relations Ghana. She holds a Master of Comparative Law from The George Washington University (1987), a Degree of Utter Barrister from the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn (1976), a Master of Laws from the University of London (1974), a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Ghana (1973). In addition, she obtained a Certificate in the Management of the Exclusive Economic Zone from the International Ocean Institute in Malta (1981). She has a working knowledge of French.

REAR ADMIRAL SOLOMON AGADA (RTD)

Rear Admiral Solomon Agada (retired) who retired from service of the Nigerian Navy as the Chief of Training and Operations, Naval Headquarters, Nigerian Navy in June 2023 after over 3 decades of meritorious commissioned service was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy as Sub-Lieutenant in 1991. He has attended several courses in the course of his career which include the Officer Long Course where he specialized in Navigation and Direction, the Junior and Senior Staff Courses as well as Strategic Defence Studies course among others. Rear Admiral Solomon (retired) also obtained Certificates of Training from the International Institute of Humanitarian Law, Sanremo-Italy in international Humanitarian Law, Rules of Engagement, Naval Operations and Law as well as Advanced Course in International Humanitarian Law. Furthermore, he holds Certificate of Training in United Nations Peace Support Operations (COTIPSO) from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, USA. His academic qualifications include, Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) from the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna Nigeria, Master in International Affairs and Diplomacy (MAID) from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria and Masters of Philosophy in Strategy and Development Studies from Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka, Bangladesh. In the course of his career, Rear Admiral Solomon (retired) have held several appointments afloat and ashore some of which are, Commanding Officer Nigerian Navy Ship AYAM, Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji-Nigeria, Exchange Directing Staff at the South Africa National War College, Pretoria-South Africa and Directing Staff at the prestigious National Defence College, Abuja-Nigeria. Additionally, he was also the Chief Staff Officer Central Naval Command, Nigerian Navy and the pioneer Co-Chair of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum Shared Awareness and De-Confliction (GOG-SHADE) from April 2021 until 13 May 2022. Furthermore, he served on the governing boards of some institutions, key among which are the Boards of the Nigerian Maritime Safety and Administration and Maritime Academy of Nigeria. He is currently in independent service as a Maritime Security Consultant in the GoG among being member of many Boards of Companies in the maritime and security sectors.

COMMODORE JAMES OSEI KONTOH (RTD)

Commodore James Osei Kontoh with extensive knowledge in Maritime Security, Military Diplomacy, Leadership and Training. As the immediate past Ghana’s Defense Advisor to the Federal Republic of Nigeria with oversight responsibility in other countries including Togo, Benin, Niger and Cameroon he brings to the Institute wealth of experience and international network. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. He also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology from KNUST and New Jersey Institute of Science and Technology {NJIT}, USA. Additionally, he holds a Diploma in Public Administration (DPA) and Certificates in Crisis and Conflict Management(CCMC), and Ghana Security Sector Governance and Management (GSSG&MC), all from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). As an astute naval officer with about 40 years of experience, he held various appointments both ashore and afloat. He was also a member of the Directing Staff (DS) at both the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) and Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Nigeria. Other prominent appointments he held include Director Naval Training, Naval Headquarters; Chief Instructor (Navy), Assistant and Deputy Commandant, GAFCSC; Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Navy Training Command (NAVTRAC) , Western Naval Command (WNC) and Eastern Naval Command (ENC). Commodore James Osei Kontoh has participated in a number of international military operations including the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia and the United Nation Missions in Rwanda, Ethiopia and Eritrea. He also saved as an Associate Director at GoGMI/ He enjoys listening to Gospel Music and playing Golf.