The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority has once again demonstrated that the organization places a high focus on the health and wellbeing of its employees and dependents.

On Saturday, the Authority out doored the refurbished GPHA Sports Hall in Tema Community 2 with a call on the port community to prioritize regular exercise.

Staff on the authority took part in a 3km health walk from the main assembly area in the Port of Tema to the sports complex in Community 2, where they rounded off with almost an hour of aerobics.

Marketing and Public Affairs Manager at the Port of Tema, who also doubles as the Chairperson of the Sports and Entertainment Committee of GPHA, Abena Serwaa Opoku Fosu, said this health walk marks the resumption of the organization’s quarterly health walk, which was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She emphasized that the Port Authority prioritizes the health of its staff and urged all workers to take time off to join this healthy cause.

Adding on to this appeal was the General Manager in charge of Health Services, Dr. Vitus Victor Anaab Bisi who urged workers within Ghana’s ports to make it a point to exercise 20 minutes, 5 times each week, to achieve optimum levels of physical fitness.

The GPHA Fitness Club, with over 100 members, holds weekly aerobic activities in the Sports Hall.

The GPHA Sports Hall has existed for over a decade but has been recently furnished with new gym equipment to complement the existing ones.

Touching on the subject of Creating a Sustainable Health and Fitness Culture for the Port Community on the Eye on Port TV program, the General Manager in Charge of Estate and Environment, James Benjamin Gaisie, said that the Authority recognizes its workforce as a core asset of the organization and has made a lot of investments to ensure the health and wellbeing of its staff is catered for.

He revealed that in addition to the sports hall in Tema Community 2, the Authority has already provided gym facilities for the security and fire men for their daily exercise at the ports.

He said the Authority over the years has considered sports activity key to the physical, mental and social wellbeing of members of the port community. This he said in years past, culminated in the formation of GPHA’s famous Badminton Club.

Indeed, Mr. Gaisie indicated that the Sports Hall which has a Badminton Court is sometimes used by the National Badminton Association.

He said the Authority’s management will consider making budgetary arrangements in the future to upgrade the facility whenever it can afford to.

A Medical Officer at the GPHA Clinic, Dr. Hannah-Lisa Tetteh, re-echoed the benefits of physical exercise, indicating it offers more than weight loss.

“Exercise helps improve your mood, it increases your energy levels and endurance. Exercise also has cardio-vascular benefits; it improves good cholesterol and reduces negative cholesterol, which improves blood flow, and this helps fight against lifestyle health conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Exercise improves many cognitive functions and protects the brain. Exercise also improves sleep. When most people come to the hospital to request medication for sleep, I encourage them to try exercising first.”

She added that exercise boost reaction time which is beneficial for people working in a highly strenuous and industrial environment like the port. Additionally, the physician said for administrative staff who live sedentary lives, it is even more important to exercise.

A physical training instructor at the GPHA Gym, Sulemana Mohammed Ayamga, also assured workers and dependents who intend to use the facility of their commitment to assist them during every step of their fitness journeys.