Cargo traffic through the country’s two seaports saw 20 percent overall growth last year, Acting Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) Michael Luguje has disclosed.
He is also optimistic that ongoing projects in the ports of Tema and Takoradi, some of which will be inaugurated in the course of the year and position the country’s ports for more success this year.
“We have also seen our cargo traffic grow, and the statistics indicate that we have a growth of at least 20% above that of 2017.
“With the ongoing investments in port infrastructure, we trust that next year by this time we will be meeting with better results to present,” he said at a thanksgiving service in Tema.
Despite the gains and positive outlook for the year, Michael Luguje indicated that the ports’ operator will continue to instil confidence in the shipping community for more progress to be achieved in the current business year.
He said: “While we are preparing to open up our infrastructure to accommodate more business, it instils a lot of confidence in the business community to sign on Ghana as their destination for import and export”.
According to the GPHA boss, a lot of progress has been achieved in terms of infrastructure development in both Tema and Takoradi Ports.
“We are also making quite a lot of progress in the area of our infrastructural development projects in Tema and Takoradi.
“A lot of progress is being made; 2019 is going to see at least some of the projects being commissioned for operations both in Tema and Takoradi Ports,” he said.
The thanksgiving service brought together staff of the Port Authority as well as representatives from several other stakeholder organisations which operate in the port and maritime industry.
Director of Tema Port, Edward Kofi Osei, in his welcome address emphasised the need for all staff of the Authority to show gratitude to God for his faithfulness.
“We as GPHA management don’t want to be the nine lepers, we want to be the one that came to say ‘thank you’. Indeed, it is great to be alive this day and for us to see the end of one year and the beginning of another. Let us sing and praise the Lord for he has really done wonders for us,” he said.
The Chief Imam of Tema Port, Sheikh Laberan Salifu Barry, in his message highlighted the need for forgiveness as the vehicle of progress and growth.
“Before a good or reputable organisation can achieve its aims and objectives, there must be the concept of forgiveness. The concept of forgiveness is very fundamental and critical to our existence,” he said.