New GPHA board charged to prioritize Keta port development
The Minister for Transport, Joseph Nikpe Bukari, has charged the newly sworn-in board of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA) to prioritize the long-stalled Keta Port project and find innovative ways to revive its development through strategic partnerships with the private sector.
The minister was speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the new board, where he outlined several pressing issues that the authority must address to enhance Ghana’s port operations and maintain competitiveness in the sub-region.
Highlighting the economic importance of the Keta Port, Mr. Bukari recalled that a director was appointed to oversee the project as far back as 2019 under the previous administration, yet very little progress has been made. He therefore urged the board to act swiftly and strategically to bring the long-awaited project to fruition.
“Some of them are the restructuring of the management of the seaports of Tema and Takoradi to embrace the landlocked country concept. Enhancement of trade with GPHA’s involvement in providing security in the corridor and eliminating all forms of barriers and harassment; and exploring private sector partnerships to develop the Keta Port as a complementary petroleum product delivery hub,” the minister stated.
Mr. Bukari also drew the board’s attention to several structural and procedural challenges affecting port operations in Ghana.
These include taxes on transit cargo, high shipping line costs and demurrage charges, as well as the involvement of multiple state agencies in port procedures, factors that contribute to the high cost of doing business at Ghanaian ports.
“Competition from neighboring countries is also one of the challenges that you have to keep in mind and work to ensure we remain ahead of our neighbors,” he emphasized.
In response, Board Chair of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, expressed the board’s commitment to supporting the effective management of the GPHA and pledged to bring his experience to bear on its operations.
“We will do everything in our power to ensure that the GPHA is given the best management so that we can get the best outcomes from our ports. Having chaired several boards in the past, I particularly promise to bring my experience to bear on the management of GPHA,” he said.
Mr. Nketia also emphasized the importance of cooperation between the board and GPHA management, noting that boards that overstep their bounds often become obstacles rather than support systems.
“I await my colleagues to stay within legal boundaries so that we become a support rather than a hindrance to the management of the ports of this country. We will work within the laws and make sure that Mother Ghana benefits from our stewardship,” he added.
