The Hon. Minister of Transport, Mr Kweku Ofori Asiamah on 10th February, 2017 visited the Takoradi Branch office of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to interact with managers and staff of the Branch.
The visit was part of a two-day familiarization visit to agencies and departments operating under the Transport Ministry in the Western Region.
In a welcome address, Ms Sylvia Asana Dauda-Owu, Deputy Chief Executive of the Ghana Shippers‘ Authority (GSA) congratulated the Hon. Minister on his appointed and noted that she looked forward to a cordial working relation.
She highlighted some of the Authority’s activities within the operational area of the Takoradi Branch Office, including the establishment of Shipper Committees in Takoradi and Cape Coast, education of shippers, resolution of the problems of shippers, visitation and outreach to shippers to areas such as Tarkwa, Bogos and Elubo in the Western Region and Swedru, Kasoa and Mankessim in the Central Region, the operation of Shipper Complaints and Support at the Takoradi Port and Elubo.
Ms Dauda-Owu also mentioned some infrastructural projects that the GSA was undertaking in the Western and Central Regions. In the Western Region, she noted that the GSA had completed Phase One of the Takoradi Logistics Platform (TLP) at Funko, near Takoradi which comprises of two large warehouses and offices which is currently being occupied by Stellar Logistics Ghana Ltd. She said the land size for the TLP was about 32 acres and that the second phase of the project will contain facilities such as platforms for pipes for the oil and gas industry, store rooms for spare parts for equipment for the oil and gas industry and a helipad to assist in transporting spare parts by air to oil rigs offshore.
She also informed the Hon. Minister the GSA had acquired a 24 acre land at Akatakyiwa in the Central Region to establish a freight park that will serve as one-stop-shop for all trucks which plying Abidjan-Tema corridor and provide a critical interface for an efficient logistics value chain. According to her, the freight park will include a hostel, car washing bay, restaurant, and fuel station among others.
“It is expected that drivers will park, take a rest and continue their journey and also reduce the spate of accidents on the road. It will also create direct and indirect employment for the Akatakyiwa as well as boost the economy of the region and the country as a whole”, she noted.
According to Ms Dauda-Owu, the GSA is looking for private investors to develop the two infrastructural projects on public-private-partnership basis and called for the Hon. Minister’s support.
In his remarks, the Hon. Minister Transport said he was impressed by the GSA’s contribution to the development of the trade and shipping industry in Ghana and the country at large. According to him, the GSA and the Ghana Maritime Authority will be given the needed support to play their regulatory roles of the maritime industry effectively. “You can come to the Ministry for us to discuss issues confronting the GSA for us to see the way forward- .I can assure you of the Ministry’s support”, he added.
Earlier in the day the Hon. Minister and the team took a guided tour of TLP at Funko.
