Accra: The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Tema Sector, has held its first Joint Consultative Committee meeting to deliberate on issues in the sector and review port operations for the previous year. The meeting was attended by various stakeholders, including the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Food and Drug Authority (FDA), Council of Freight Forwarder Association, Ghana Link Network Services, and Meridian Ports Services, among others.
According to Ghana News Agency, Assistant Commissioner Theresa Potakey, the Customs Tema Sector Commander, welcomed participants and expressed confidence in the collective expertise and experience of the stakeholders, hoping it would yield valuable insights and recommendations. She emphasized the objective of enhancing collaborations, efficiency, and revenue collection while facilitating trade. The discussions and presentations were anticipated to shape future strategies for the sector.
Assistant Commissioner Potakey also touched on President John Mahama's announcement to commence a 24-hour service at the ports, highlighting it as a crucial initiative for enhancing Ghana's port competitiveness and ensuring operations at maximum capacity. She assured that the Tema sector was prepared for the implementation of the 24-hour port services, with additional staff transfers approved to support the transition.
Nana Esi Soederberg, Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager at GPHA, presented port statistics and cargo throughput for 2023/2024, noting an increase in both cargo and container traffic. She mentioned that cargo traffic through Tema and Takoradi increased in the first quarter of 2025, similar to the previous year under review. GPHA, alongside Customs and other stakeholders, aims to position the port to support the current drive to accelerate exports, continuing infrastructure and service provision to achieve their mandate.
Additionally, Mrs. Soederberg revealed that GPHA was acquiring more equipment and refurbishing roads within the port enclave. A new lane is being constructed directly from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 to facilitate direct container evacuation, avoiding traffic along main routes. She emphasized GPHA's focus on leveraging traffic growth through stakeholder collaboration to ensure proper services align with the government's drive for a 24-hour economy at Ghana's ports.
Mrs. Soederberg highlighted that while stevedoring services already operated 24 hours, the 24-hour delivery services would soon be rolled out, with ongoing engagement with stakeholders to ensure successful implementation.
