Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, Acting Director General of GPHA, is focused on reforms to enhance Ghana’s ports’ competitiveness by reducing costs and establishing a 24-hour operational system. The GPHA is addressing financial burdens for traders and aims to bolster revenue via stakeholder collaboration and operational improvements.
Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, the Acting Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), is implementing reforms to enhance the competitiveness of Ghana’s ports. His initiatives focus on reducing operating costs to align with the government’s goal of a 24-hour economy, which is essential for boosting efficiency in port operations.
The current landscape at Tema and Takoradi ports has been challenging for freight forwarders, traders, and shipping agents due to elevated import duties, taxes, and various charges. This financial burden has led some importers to utilize the ports in Togo and Abidjan, resulting in decreased revenue for Ghana’s ports, a scenario that Brigadier General Tanye-Kulono aims to rectify.
To tackle these issues, the GPHA is taking significant measures, including the removal of certain taxes and COVID-19 related levies, to reduce traders’ financial strain. During a meeting with the Importers and Exporters Association’s leadership, he highlighted that practical solutions to operational challenges would be pursued, including scrutiny of costs related to demurrages.
Furthermore, discussions are ongoing to launch a 24-hour operational system in Tema Port, enhancing overall efficiency and service provision. The Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, Samson Asaki Awingobit, supports these reforms and believes they will position Ghana’s ports as a favorable business destination. He noted the importance of engaging stakeholders to optimize export opportunities and address the high volume of empty containers leaving the country.
Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono is committed to enhancing the competitiveness of Ghana’s ports through strategic reforms aimed at cost reduction and operational efficiency. By collaborating with stakeholders and establishing a 24-hour service model, the GPHA seeks to address existing challenges faced by traders and improve the overall economic landscape of Ghana’s port industry. The support from the Importers and Exporters Association indicates a collective movement toward making Ghana’s ports a preferred location for maritime trade.
Original Source: www.gbcghanaonline.com
