Port Training Institute to be set up at Tema

By Benjamin Glover | Tuesday, 24 June 2014 01:01 | Category: General News - See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/25848-port-training-institute-to-be-set-up-at-tema.html#sthash.jUmyJHyO.dpuf The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ports Development Partnership (PDP), Africa-Netherlands, for the setting up of a Port Training Institute at the Tema Port. The institute will offer practical training and certification to seafarers and other related jobs at the port. It will also provide students with in-depth training on the requisite skills needed to work efficiently and to handle pressing maritime situations. MoU The Director General at the GPHA, Mr Richard Anamoo, initialled on behalf of the GPHA, while Mr Sunder Wubbolts, a Senior Project Manager of STC-B.V, a Dutch institution that specialises in training, technical assistance and research for the maritime and transport related industries in The Netherlands, who are also members of the Port Development Partnership, signed for the Dutch partners. Other collaborators include Deltares, an independent knowledge institute on water, subsurface and infrastructure and UNESCO-IHE, an institute for water education. The MoU was witnessed by the Board Chairman of GPHA, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, and the Dutch Minister for Trade and Development Co-operation, Lilliane Ploumen. The PDP is a unique collaboration between 18 Dutch public and private business partners and the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Accra, working together with local and regional stakeholders in achieving sustainable and long-term development for Africa’s main ports. Rationale The Director General at the GPHA, Mr Anamoo, explained that with the current expansion works of the Tema and Takoradi ports and a possible third port, there was the need to train more people on offshore operations and other maritime services, hence the establishment of the Port Training Institute. He said the institute would complement training offered by the other training establishments such as the Regional Maritime University to ensure that beneficiaries in the maritime sector were well- trained to promote efficient service delivery. Dutch Minister The Dutch Minister for Trade and Development Co-operation, Ms Ploumen, said The Netherlands was delighted to partner Ghana and the GPHA to expand the ports and logistics corridors to create an efficient transport hub. She expressed the hope that the project, when completed, would lead to knowledge transfer resulting in more efficient, safer, cost effective and sustainable port and terminal operations. Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh - See more at: http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/25848-port-training-institute-to-be-set-up-at-tema.html#sthash.jUmyJHyO.dpuf