The Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, Michael Luguje has assured the port community and Ghanaians in general of a bright future for the ports of Ghana as management pursues initiatives that would guarantee continued success.

Speaking at this year’s GPHA Strategic Management Summit in the outskirts of Accra, he emphasized his optimism for growth, while recounting some of the challenges of past few years.

“Our last strategic meeting was 2019, where we couldn’t plan properly because we weren’t so sure. Because reefer containers were gone and a number of container volumes we are handling today, there was not certain then, whether we were going to have them. So, we couldn’t plan for equipment, we couldn’t plan for staff. Everything was uncertain,” the Director General revealed.

The Strategic Management Meeting is a major activity the leadership of the Authority undertakes to review performance and plan for the future taking into consideration critical changes in the port business.

The GPHA Boss said Management over the past few years had to work assiduously to enhance capacity and productivity for business continuity.

He revealed that as a result of the strong collaboration between management and staff, the Authority was able to cut cost and create employment.

“A major strategic reform we took, never heard of in GPHA history where we decided to tackle the problem of overtime. We tackled it, ensuring that everybody, both labor and management participated in the reasoning behind it and we have used that savings to also tackle a national crisis, which is unemployment,” the DG said.

Michael Luguje assured clients of the port of improved efficiency through key strategic reforms as well as tightened collaborations with stakeholders.

He cited that “for example, there is scheduling that is going to be done for reefer containers. But we are not going to dictate that. We are going to do that in collaboration with the freight forwarders. That way, everyone would be certain and satisfied with their schedule and that would take away the crumbling in the evenings alone at the Reefer Yard.”

The governing Board of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has paid familiarization visits to the Port of Takoradi and the Keta Port project site.

The visit of the governing Board led by the Hon. Isaac Osei was to afford the reconstituted Board the opportunity to learn at first hand, the extent of work at the Takoradi port which is undergoing massive transformation through various expansion projects and to also get briefings from Engineers of the Authority on the Keta Port Project.

In Takoradi, the GPHA board was conducted round the various projects including the Liquid Bulk Terminal, the Dry Bulk Terminal, and the Atlantic Container Terminal.

The Board Chairman of the GPHA, the Hon. Isaac Osei expressed satisfaction at the current state of works at the port.

He said, “work done here is very impressive. GPHA’s job is to make sure that the infrastructure is there which they have done by working with their partners. Now it is up to the business community to take advantage of the facilities that have been provided.”

The Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Michael Luguje said the expansion works in the port of Takoradi is indicative of the fact that GPHA is mindful of the future, hence the investment in such huge infrastructure which will transcend generations.

“By this massive container terminal project that is ongoing, we are already getting a lot of interests from global container shipping lines wanting to join us in partnerships to move a lot of volumes here. The potential to bring the volumes is wide,” Michael Luguje disclosed.

In Keta, the team called on the Awomefia of the Anlo Traditional Area, Togbi Sri and his sub chiefs before proceeding to the Project site.

Togbi Sri assured the Board of his commitment to the project and promised to lend any support required of him when the need arises.

The Board Chairman of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Mr. Isaac Osei has stated that Ghana’s Ports are well positioned not only to be the gateway to trade in the sub region but also as transit point for the landlocked countries.

This, according to him, is as a result of the fact that other countries prefer the services of Ghana’s Ports due to the availability of the requisite infrastructure and quality of service delivery. Mr. Osei said this when the reconstituted board of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority paid a working visit to the Port of Tema.

He was optimistic that equipment challenges at the Ports would be resolved saying ‘’the Director General of GPHA, Mr. Michael Luguje is determined on that score.’’

He said he intends to bring his experience in both and public and private sectors of the economy to bare as he leads the GPHA Board. He commended the staff and management of GPHA who he said are qualified to undertake the mandate of the Port.

The Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Michael Luguje said the Port Authority will continue to provide the needed infrastructure and business environment for trade facilitation and economic development.

He said the growth in container traffic in 2020 and the first half of 2021 is a testament of confidence in Ghana’s economy. He revealed that there is a joint effort from stakeholders to ensure that arbitrary charges at the Ports are scrapped.

The GPHA Board took a tour of the Port of Tema to enable them to have first-hand experience of operations in the Port.

The board members visited the Marine Section, Golden Jubilee Terminal, Reefer Terminal and the MPS terminal 3.

The Board were later introduced to top management of the authority followed by an interactive session which included an orientation on the operations of GPHA.

The presentations included an overview of the Port Authority, the status of the Authority’s finances and updates on projects capturing old and new projects spanning Tema, Takoradi and Keta.

The Minister of Transport, Kweku Ofori Asiamah has sworn in an 11-member board for the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

Former Member of Parliament, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board and Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Isaac Osei will lead the group as Board Chairman.

Other members include Michael Luguje, the Director-General of GPHA, Sandra Opoku, Director of Port, Tema, Capt. Ebenezer Afadzi, Director of Port, Takoradi, Mabel Sagoe, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Transport, Benonita Bismarck, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Clement Osei Amoako, President of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Adam Imoru Ayarna, an Executive Member of the Ship Owners and Agents Association, Ghana (SOAAG), Ing. Dr. Michael Adjei Anyetei Ghana Railway Company Limited, Francisca Oteng-Mensah, a Member of Parliament, and Samuel Arhin, an employees’ representative.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the Minister of Transport urged the board members to strengthen collaborations that would enhance corporate governance of the State-Owned Enterprise.

“Whatever it takes for us to work together let us do so. As a Ministry we are here to support you, we will not be mingling in the operation activities but we will also not compromise on the policy direction of government,” he said.

He called on the new Board Chairman Isaac Osei, to bring his vast experience to bear in the advancement of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

The Board Chairman in turn, assured of his unwavering commitment to ensuring that the policy direction for the sector is fully implemented at GPHA.

“We will be working with the Ministry to ensure that the policy direction which government wants us to follow will be followed very closely,” he said.

A stowaway from Guinea-Bissau, Sulemane Balde has been disembarked at the Port of Tema after being nabbed at high seas. Sulemane Balde, reportedly joined the vessel MV Aurora, via a mooring rope in the Port of Bissau on September 13.

The 28-year-old Frenchman who joined the vessel with hopes of reaching the United Kingdom for greener pastures, was found by the crew of the ship on the 15th.

According to the Port Security Manager, Colonel Emmanuel Nyante, he was disembarked in Tema due to proximity.

He stated that, the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority has completed its processes and handed the culprit over to the Immigration Service to be repatriated to his home country.

The Port Security Manager indicated that the ports of Ghana have for a long time now, not recorded any cases of successful stowaways, due to stringent measures deployed by port Authorities.

He said, “at the Port of Tema, there is a procedure we call rummaging where we use trained working dogs to move within the vessel to ensure there are no stowaways before the vessel sets off. This is one way we have had success in the port.”

He also urged sister ports to further collaborate against the stowaway menace.

“I think we need to share procedures in each other’s ports while we are having non-reportage of stowaways in Ghana,” the PSM suggested.

Col. Emmanuel Nyante also advised potential stowaways against the dangers of the act.

He said “aside the fact that it discredits the port and country, you could also suffer punishments from your home country when you are disembarked. What’s worse, sometimes, when you are found in high seas, you could be thrown overboard.”

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has called on the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions towards efficiency, growth, and stakeholder satisfaction in the downstream petroleum industry of Ghana.

Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid said, it is in recognition of the key role GPHA plays in the receipt and discharge of petroleum cargo, that is why collaboration is of utmost importance.

He toured the ports’ operational areas to inspect and have a first-hand experience of activities within the port that aid the discharge of petroleum products.

The NPA boss also revealed some initiatives his outfit would be taking to curtail illegal bunkering activities. Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid also met with top management of GPHA to discuss few issues pertinent to the industry.

The Director of Port of Tema, Sandra Opoku assured of continuous collaboration from GPHA for the betterment of Ghana’s petroleum industry.

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority has donated some dental equipment to the Medium Security Prison at Nsawam, to support the Ghana Prisons Service carry out its mandate of ensuring the welfare and safe custody of prison inmates.

These include an ultra-sonic scaler for scaling and polishing, some dental forceps for extraction and dental syringe for administering local anaesthesia.

Delivering the equipment to the Medical Unit of Prisons Service, representative of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Judith Sedzro said, GPHA is happy to associate with the provision of services that would inure to the wellbeing of Ghanaians and would continue to render assistance to the Prisons Service where possible.

Regional Commander, DDP Samuel Owusu Amponsah said the donation would go a long way to promote the establishment of a well-functioning dental unit at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison that caters for the welfare of inmates and staff.

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has called on operators, and stakeholders within the port enclave to strengthen collaborations towards the goal of increased delivery of efficient and sustainable port services.

Likewise, the Authority has urged clients and general port users to comply with rules and regulations that have been instituted to ensure smooth operations and safety of users, port personnel, goods, and infrastructure.

Speaking on the Eye on Port program, the General Manager, Operations, at GPHA, Garvin Amarvie, intimated that in keeping with its mandate of building, developing, operating, and managing the ports of Ghana, the Port Authority has attained some of the highest standards of work comparable to those in the best ports worldwide.

He said GPHA has voluntarily attained certifications with the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) in quality management systems, environment management, and occupational health and safety.

Mr. Garvin Amarvie, who doubles as the ISO Coordinator at GPHA revealed that ever since the Port Authority aligned its operations with international standards, it has seen a boost in productivity and client satisfaction, reduced the incidence of accidents and cost of doing business.

The ISO Coordinator also explained that being ISO certified has improved Ghana’s ports reputation internationally.

He said “Corporate Ghana gains a lot. The way we do things attracts investors which means opening up the economy for growth.”

The General Manager, Operations, GPHA, stated that its tenants and operators within the port enclave do not necessarily need to seek ISO certification before working in the port.

However, due to the standards adopted, it has introduced certain standard operation procedures (SOPs) and regulations for all port users, and stakeholders to comply with.

Contributing to the discourse, a Principal Corporate Planning Officer at GPHA, Frances Jemima Anabia-Tiah said these integrated SOPs are bound by the concession and tenancy agreements with port operators, so as to align them with the ISO standards.

“We inspect their machines, the working environment, and even their systems. So far, they readily avail themselves for these periodic inspections,” she added.

“It’s a herculean task, GPHA cannot do that alone even though we have taken it upon ourselves to manage it. We plead with all stakeholders to collaborate with us, share ideas, and commit to streamlining their activities with our system. They do not necessarily need to go for the certification. But they should try to implement the requirements of the certification,” Madam Anabia-Tiah appealed to Port operators.

She said operators within Ghana’s ports could take a cue from other world class ports, like in Las Palmas, where port operators’ systems are in sync with that of the Port Authority.

The General Manager, Operations, at the Ghana Ports and Authority, Garvin Amarvie, indicated that environmental sustainability is at the core of GPHA management systems, and as a result require all port operators to maintain sustainable operations.

“We have been engaging the likes of GHACEM, and Dangote for example, who emit some air pollutants to come up with eco-friendly hoppers or dust suppression systems to reduce the pollution in the port area,” he cited.

He further revealed that in GPHA’s efforts to improve its standards, it is developing an MOU with Kenya to collaborate for skills transfer among others.

The Port Journalists Network, an association of specialized journalists in Ghana’s port and maritime sector, has paid a courtesy call to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the first of its kind since the formation of the network.

The Team deliberated with management representatives of the Port Authority, on the direction of the association, key objectives, and their general concerns.

According to the Team Lead, Elvis Darko, the network is embarking on such visits to key stakeholders within the port and maritime sector to foster the necessary relationships towards the goal of promoting public knowledge on the port business.

He said the Port Journalists Network is also committed to building its capacity, increasing the depth of their coverage so as to provoke positive change in policies governing the industry.

“If Ghana is to make maximum benefit from AfCFTA, it will depend on the success of the maritime industry in Ghana, and therefore it is important that we bring the issues that are affecting the maritime industry to the attention of policy makers and demand actions and answers from these policy makers so that Ghana as a country can derive the necessary benefits from AfCFTA,” Mr. Darko articulated.

General Manager in Charge of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at GPHA, Esther Gyebi-Donkor, said the initiative to assemble for the collective goal of promoting Ghana’s Port and Maritime industry is a laudable one for which the Port Authority is happy to associate with.

She urged the group of journalists to endeavor to increase their scope in the industry so as to churn out more informative and authentic reportage going forward.

The Minister of Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe has encouraged the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority to continue to position its operations to maintain profitability, as it operates, manages, and develops one of Ghana’s key assets, the ports.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to management of GPHA, the Minister stated that it is the President’s vision to see to the sustenance of public enterprises, hence the creation of the Ministry of Public Enterprises to provide an ownership and governance structure to these corporate bodies.

He said, “for the first in our history, the President is bringing the same structure we see in the private enterprises and aligning that with the state enterprises.”

The Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, Michael Luguje revealed the strides taken by the Port Authority in partnership with the private sector to put in place the necessary port infrastructure comparable to world class standards despite financial constraints.

He said that “if you go to the advanced countries, government advances money for all the basic port infrastructure like dredging works, quay walls and breakwaters, the reclamation of land and other basic marine works. In our part of the world, given the constraints of government, the Port Authority must generate its own resources for all these functions.”

The delegation from the Ministry were briefed further on GPHA’s operations and plans for the port sector.