By Laudia Sawer
Tema, June 21, GNA – The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Tema Sector, has held its first Joint Consultative Committee meeting to deliberate on issues in the sector and review port operations for the previous year.
The meeting was attended by various stakeholders, including the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Food and Drug Authority (FDA), Council of Freight Forwarder Association, Ghana Link Network Services, and Meridian Ports Services, among others.
Assistant Commissioner Theresa Potakey, the Customs Tema Sector Commander, welcoming participants, expressed confidence in the collective expertise and experience of the stakeholders and hoped that it would yield valuable insights and recommendations.
She added that her outfit’s objective was to enhance collaborations, efficiency and revenue collection while facilitating trade, adding that the presentations and discussions would shape their future strategies for the sector.
Touching on President John Mahama’s announcement to commence a 24-hour service at the ports, she said it was a good initiative that was crucial for enhancing Ghana’s ports competitiveness and ensuring operations at their maximum capacity, mirroring global best practices.
She gave assurance that the Tema sector was ready for the implementation of the 24-hour port services, as more staff transfers to the sector had been approved by management to help with the takeoff.
She urged stakeholders to work together to make Ghana’s port more efficient and effective, leveraging these new opportunities for the benefit of the country.
Nana Esi Soederberg, Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager, GPHA, giving a presentation on port statistics and cargo throughput for 2023/2024, said there was an increase in both the cargo and container traffic.
Mrs Soederberg said cargo traffic through Tema and Takoradi increased in the first quarter of 2025, just like the 2023/2024 year under review, adding that there was an increase in container traffic in Tema during the period.
She said GPHA, with Customs and other stakeholders, would continue to position the port to support the current drive to accelerate exports, adding that they would continue with the provision of the infrastructure and service to achieve their mandate.
She added that in addition to acquiring more equipment, GPHA was also refurbishing the roads within the port enclave, revealing that the port authority was constructing a lane directly from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 to make the evacuation of containers direct and not mingle with the traffic along the main routes.
She said GPHA’s focus was to continue leveraging the growth of traffic through collaboration with stakeholders to ensure the right services were provided and fed into the government’s drive for the 24-hour economy at Ghana’s ports.
Mrs Soederberg said stevedoring, for example, was already 24 hours as they received storage, adding, however, that the 24-hour delivery services would be rolled out, assuring that they would engage stakeholders on it.
GNA
Edited by Christian Akorlie