Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority embarks on expansion programme

By: Benjamin Xornam Glover | Wednesday, 07 May 2014

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has initiated a programme to expand the country’s ports to adequately take care of the increasing cargo and provide efficient maritime services for importers, exporters and passengers. The ports currently handle about one million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers and it is estimated that in the next 14 years they will handle about two million TEU containers. Third port Besides the expansion project, the GPHA is also contemplating building a third port to complement the Tema and Takoradi ports to adequately take care of the increasing cargo trade. “We have already surveyed the coastal area and have an idea of where to position it, but for now that information is capped until we are ready to start,” the Marketing and Public Relations Manager of the GPHA, Mr Paul Asare-Ansah, announced at a stakeholders’ seminar organised by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in Tema. The one-day seminar, which was on the topic, “The role of Customs and other stakeholders at the Tema Port”, brought together various players in the maritime industry. Expression of Interest Mr Asare-Ansah said the GPHA had already sent out a request for the expression of interest for the construction of a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) terminal, as well as a cruise terminal, to address issues of congestion and ensure adequate use of the country's sea resources. “Ghana is an attractive tourism destination and we really want to harness that tourism potential by offering the needed maritime support,” he said. He disclosed that the GPHA had established a rail desk to accelerate the quest to construct a rail link from the ports to the hinterlands to aid in the transportation of cargo. Mr Asare-Ansah said there was no way a port could be efficient without a multi-modal transport system, hence the move to invest in a rail system. Customs Division The outgoing Tema Sector Commander of the Customs Division, Mr John Vianney Kuudamnuru, explained that the aim of the programme was to establish a platform for the sharing of information, educate various stakeholders to become familiar with Customs operations and distinguish among the roles of other stakeholders at the port. He urged the stakeholders to be abreast of the GRA Client Charter and the various stakeholder engagement strategy plans to enhance compliance level and facilitate trade and clearance at the port. The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Capt William Amanhyia, stressed the need for importers and exporters to contract the services of professional freight forwarders before embarking on any international trade to prevent any problems that could arise during the clearing process. http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/22455-ghana-ports-and-harbours-authority-embarks-on-expansion-programme.html See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/22455-ghana-ports-and-harbours-authority-embarks-on-expansion-programme.html#sthash.aW9baezC.dpuf