By Christine Naadu Lartey
Tema, Sept. 30, GNA – Private-sector stakeholders in Tema have called on the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) to strengthen security around critical industrial and energy infrastructure and address traffic and road challenges affecting business operations in the metropolis.
The stakeholders made the call at a meeting organised by the TMA to engage private-sector operators on challenges confronting businesses and ways to strengthen collaboration between industry and the Assembly.
Mr William Osei, a representative of the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), said the gas enclave at Tema Manhean faced security challenges that required urgent attention.
He said WAPCo, the Volta River Authority (VRA) and Tema LNG supplied natural gas used to generate about 80 per cent of Ghana’s electricity.
Mr Osei said a security assessment by National Security had recommended that the gas enclave be formally designated a security zone to protect the facilities from potential attacks or damage that could have serious implications for the country’s power supply.
He expressed concern about the dumping and burning of refuse near high-pressure gas pipelines, warning that smouldering fires could pose serious risks to the pipelines and surrounding communities.
On WAPCo’s community interventions, Mr Osei said the company had constructed a maternity block for the Tema Manhean Polyclinic, provided public toilets and awarded scholarships to more than 100 young people in the community.
Mr Charles Ofori, a representative of Meridian Port Services (MPS), said heavy truck movements and the operations of container yards were contributing to severe traffic congestion along the Beach Road corridor.
He said although MPS had expanded Terminal 3 to handle up to 2.4 million containers annually, the surrounding roads and external container yards had not expanded at the same pace to accommodate the increased traffic.
Mr Ofori also raised concerns about stolen road signs, damaged police posts, open defecation, drug use and prostitution around the port area.
He said MPS had introduced electric trucks as part of efforts to reduce emissions and meet international environmental standards.
Mr Emmanuel Jason Solomon Penney, a representative of Japan Motors, appealed to the TMA to rehabilitate roads linking the VALCO Roundabout to the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and Nestlé.
He said heavy dust and deep potholes on the roads were affecting the health of workers and slowing business operations.
Madam Ebi Bright, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, assured the business community of the Assembly’s commitment to addressing the challenges and protecting businesses operating in the metropolis.
She said the Assembly was the legal planning authority for Tema and, therefore, companies and government agencies were required to obtain its approval before constructing facilities or altering land use.
Madam Bright said the Assembly also needed to be involved in corporate social responsibility projects to ensure that community interventions, security initiatives and road planning were properly coordinated and documented.
She tasked the Metropolitan Coordinating Director and the Public Relations team to engage directly with the companies to address the security concerns, establish accountability for identified lapses and align corporate support with the development priorities of the metropolis.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/ Lydia Kukua Asamoah