The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) is doing everything possible to ensure the effective participation of Ghanaians in every aspect of port development in the country.
The plan is to minimise foreign participation as much as possible and to discourage monopoly of the sector by foreign interests.
Mr. Paul Asare Ansah, Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, explains that the Authority has had to abrogate some contracts which would have left no room for local participation. Such contracts offered 100 percent foreign domination in port development.
“The World Bank was paying for the services of a transactional advisor who was to advise us in the development of ports including partners for the development of the Takoradi port. We realised midway that the transactional advisor’s work was virtually going to eliminate all Ghanaians from effectively participating in the remaining work in the Takoradi port.
“So, at a point in time, I had to write to truncate the World Bank procurement process and make sure that we brought in Ghanaians who had demonstrated the commitment to participate effectively in the Takoradi port development project,” he disclosed media practitioners at an annual GPHA end of year press soiree in Accra.
Mr. Asare Ansah explained that the work of the transactional advisor touched virtually every facet of port development, setting thresholds that were way above what Ghanaians could meet.
He noted that a “dangerous” trend that is gradually creeping into the West African sub region in the sense that various countries are gradually handing over the development of ports to foreigners.
Mr. Asare Ansah was not particularly happy with authorities in neighbouring Cotonou, Benin who have handed over the port authority of that country to a foreign country to manage, arguing that it is a very dangerous development for the sub region.
But Ghana, he intimated, will do all she can to avoid the total control of her port development and operations by foreigners, he said, pointing out that priority will always be given to capable and committed Ghanaians.
Tema Shipyard and Dry Docks
The Director General indicated that the Tema Shipyard and Dry Docks was beginning to bounce back to profitability months after it was handed over to GPHA to manage. “Just within the first three months of the handover, the shipyard started attracting international confidence with several vessels currently lined up and waiting to be repaired,” he noted.
According to him, virtually all of the shipyard’s debts that the authority inherited have been settled, ensuring a new lease of life for the facility.
Consequently, a strategic partner will soon be sought to take over the facility in order to maximise its potential. – MTD
