Despite facing challenging economic conditions locally and internationally in 2023, the Tema Port successfully managed 18 million tonnes of cargo, while the Takoradi Port handled eight million tonnes. This marked a significant improvement in performance during the latter half of the year following a slow start.
Mr. Michael Achagwe Luguje, the Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), noted that the Takoradi Port outperformed its previous year’s performance in 2023.
He credited this improvement in the second half of the year to collaborative initiatives between GPHA and its external partners, as well as broader economic factors.
One such initiative involved implementing a scheme to stabilize exchange rates charged on transit goods every three months to mitigate the impact of fluctuating rates and prevent increased costs.
In early 2023, the Authority engaged stakeholders from Ghana and shipping lines to identify factors contributing to the decline in import figures.
The findings were subsequently presented to Ghana’s economic management team.
Mr. Luguje expressed optimism that measures would be taken to address the escalating cost of doing business in Ghana’s seaports. He clarified that while GPHA is often blamed for high business costs, port charges account for only 10% of the total clearance expenses.
“A good chunk of it comes from duties and statutory taxes; the government’s attention has been drawn to it, and they are looking at it to see what can be done to reduce it,” he said.
“Apart from that, other operators like shipping lines and freight forwarders also contribute to it.”
He emphasized to the business community that the efficiency of port systems and infrastructure directly impacts the cost of doing business in the logistics sector.
This is why the GPHA is actively implementing measures to enhance port efficiency, aiming to position Ghana as the preferred hub in the sub-region.