The Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Michael Luguji, is challenging the business community to provide any data to back their claims that Ghana is losing cargo to neighboring Lome and Abidjan Ports.
He told Joy Business that, Ghana remains the preferred port for most businesses in the sub-region for transit purposes.
Some business Associations have been making claims that the Tema Port has lost much of its cargo business to Togo and other nearby ports due to the high charges at the country’s port.
Responding to the assertions in an interview with my colleague during the visit by the Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, to the port, the Director General rejected the claims and challenged the business community to back their claims with data.
“Our research indicates that there are no improvements in cargo movement in Lome Port but it is the import of clinker which is done by Diamond Cement into their factory at Aflao. You know they have a direct rail system from the port into their factory which makes it easier due to their location”.
“If you want Diamond Cement to use Tema Port, then it means they have to transport the clinker with trucks through our roads which doesn’t make economic sense”, he explained.
“This is the situation but does not mean that Ghana has lost any business to the neighboring counterpart. We have always asked the business associations to provide relevant data to show that Business A has been importing through Ghana but as a result of the charges or high prices, they have considered using the Lome Port” he asserted.
The Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, was also quick to add that the tax regimes in both countries are different and any import that goes through the port legally is expected to be taxed and appropriate duties paid on them.