The Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, has urged importers to take full advantage of the expanded 24-hour operations at the Tema and Takoradi ports to clear their cargo early and avoid unnecessary costs.
Speaking to media in Tema, Brigadier General Tanye-Kulono emphasised that early clearance of goods is essential to avoiding demurrage charges and reducing the overall cost of doing business at the ports.
“When your containers arrive, try to clear them as early as possible. Don’t wait three or four days until demurrage starts to accumulate and everyone rushes here. We now operate 24 hours a day, both day and night, so take full advantage,” he advised.
The GPHA Director-General said the 24-hour operation aligns with the government’s broader policy to transition Ghana into a round-the-clock economy. To this end, the Authority is implementing several measures to decongest ports and enhance efficiency.
He revealed that when he assumed office a few months ago, there was a backlog of over 5,800 containers at Meridian Port Services (MPS), but the figure has since dropped to under 1,000 with current counts around 520, primarily consisting of excavators.
This progress, he said, was made possible through the strategic leasing of trucks, prompted by the unreliability of third-party transport services.
“We couldn’t rely solely on third-party trucks. With the support of the Transport Ministry, we leased trucks to facilitate swift movement of containers,” he explained.
To further improve cargo flow, GPHA is collaborating with MPS to complete a critical link road between MPS and Terminal 2. The project is 90 percent complete and expected to significantly reduce container transit time within the port enclave.
As part of its operational support, GPHA has also invested in 45 leased pickup trucks and staff buses to improve transport logistics for port workers.
However, the Director-General noted a key challenge: limited stakeholder presence during night operations.
“One of our main challenges is the absence of some stakeholders at night. We are actively engaging them to ensure full participation throughout the 24-hour operational cycle,” he stated.
