GPHA secures new marine crafts to enhance operations
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has inaugurated four new boats to enhance its operations at the Tema and Takoradi ports.
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The two pilot launchers and security patrol boats, which were commissioned last Tuesday, will help to improve services at the ports.
The pilot boats are to transport maritime pilots between the shore and inbound ships to ensure efficient and safe embarking and disembarking from vessels, while the security boats will add to the GHPA's security infrastructure to enhance the port's international ship and port facility security compliance, as well as security within the anchorage to avert threats of terrorism, smuggling, illegal immigration, piracy and unauthorised access to sensitive sections of the port.
Honourees
The boats were named after Kumi Adjei-Sam, Captian Edmund Deri Ziem, Captain Joseph Eric Quansah and Jacob Kwabla Adorkor, all of whom exhibited exemplary character and contributed to the development of the sector and the country at large.
The late Mr Adjei-Sam joined the GPHA in 1986 as a national service person and rose to the position of General Manager, Administration, who was also in charge of the Fishing Harbour.
Captain Deri Ziem (deceased) served the organisation from 1986 to 2002 as a Harbour Master. Captain Quansah, who was also a Harbour Master, joined the GPHA in 1986 and rose through the ranks to become the Director of the Port of Takoradi, while Mr Adorkor served the GPHA between 1989 to 2019 in various capacities, including Port Operations Manager, Stevedore Manager and Director of Port at the Takoradi Port.
In 2017, he was re-assigned to the Ministry of Transport as Technical Advisor of Maritime Affairs till his retirement in 2019.
Commendation
The Director-General of the GPHA, Michael Luguje, commended the honourees for their dedication and commitment to the GPHA during their tenure of office. He said the GPHA was also working towards acquiring a new anti-pollution and multi-purpose boat in August this year to improve port operations.
Mr Luguje said the two ports were among the best within the West and Central Africa regions. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the GPHA, Isaac Osei, said the acquisition of the new marine crafts would secure the nation’s position as a shipping hub in the sub-region.
He said it would also enable the GPHA to deliver efficient services to clients and shipping vessels that transit in and out of the ports. A Deputy Minister of Transport, Frederick Obeng Adom, said the government was not oblivious to competition between the nation’s ports and those of its neighbours in Lome and Abidjan, hence the continuous investment in relevant infrastructure.
He said this was evident in the numerous expansion projects and ongoing ones at the Tema and Takoradi ports.
Appreciation
The honourees and their representatives expressed appreciation to the management and staff of the GPHA for appreciating and immortalising their contribution to the growth of authority.
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