The Deputy Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor and the Director of Operations at the Presidency, Lord Commey have paid a working visit to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority where they also met the Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority John Vianney Kundamnuru.
The visit was to afford the duo the opportunity to acquaint themselves with operations at the port and issues regarding confiscated goods including vehicles.
The then Director General of GPHA, Richard Anamoo in a presentation highlighted some developments at the ports including the expansion of both the Tema and Takoradi ports.
“We explore and look at how we can transform the Takoradi port which was constructed in 1928, we had to pull down most of the old structures and re-align them, so we have GOIL coming in with Marine Gas OIL tanks so that vessels can come in and take oil direct from the port,” he said.
He also stressed the need for the rail sector to be revamped so as to augment the port expansions.
“We need to get the bauxite in, we need to get the manganese in, we need to get clinker and all that. Unfortunately the railway is dead and the manganese and bauxite are coming by road. So we see the railway as a very strong integral part of us,” he said.
The Deputy Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor commended the port authority for the massive developments at the ports and also pledged the government’s commitment at developing the rail sector.
“We cannot pull any country from where we are to a different developed country without railways. Railway lines are basic, any country that has developed at the very least, you need to have a railway networks for industry at the very least. We can go into that discussion over and over again, so it requires specific high level supervision and oversight responsibility but you have done very well. It is pretty obvious that your vision is excellent,” he said.
They were led by the commissioner of customs and the Tema sector commander of customs to the golden jubilee terminal where some of the confiscated vehicles are kept.
