‘Appointment of Director of Keta Port needless’

The Member of Parliament for the Keta Constituency, Richard Mawuli Quashigah, is asking President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to reverse the appointment of Dr Alexander Y. Adusei as Director of Keta Port. 

In the view of Mr Quashigah, to appoint a director for a non-existing port with status as directors of Tema and Takoradi ports, was not only preposterous and infuriating, but also an attempt to cause wilful financial loss to the state.

A letter under the signature of the Transport Minister, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, dated March 19, 2019, communicated the appointment of Dr Adusei as Director of the Keta Port.

The appointment of Dr Adusei followed the declaration of the Keta coastline as a sea port by President Akufo-Addo early this year. 

But at a press conference in Parliament yesterday, Mr Quashigah, supported by the Volta and Oti regional caucuses in Parliament said “a sea port does not exist in Keta today for which a director is required. In fact it could be seen as an attempt to ridicule and mock the people of the area by the President.”

The development, he said, could only be likened to Ghana Education Service posting a head teacher to a community where there is no school, no teachers and for that matter no students. 

Mr Quashigah was unsure whether government had found an investor for the construction of the Keta Port apart from the interest shown by Diamond Cement Company, which dates back to 2014, in the building of a jetty to facilitate the transportation of clinker for the operations at Diamond Cement Company. 

“As far as we know, the memorandum of understanding between the government and the investors (Diamond Cement) has suffered a jolt since the investor is uncomfortable with certain clauses inherent in the MoU. 

“It is noteworthy that, a conditional approval given to Diamond Cement by the previous government was declared a nullity by Mr. Paul Ansah, currently one of the two Director Generals of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority in 2017 upon assumption of office by the NPP led government,” he told the press conference. 

On the cost involved in hiring a Director for the non-existent Keta Port, Mr Quashigah said Ghana would be committing between GH¢120,000 and GH¢150,000 covering his assigns including a driver, a gardener, a cook, two cars, free fuel among other entitlements. 

Stating that they were not against the construction of the port which would create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth in the area, Richard Quashigah on behalf of the people pleaded with President Akufo Addo to reverse the “horrendous decision of an appointment.”

Mr Kwame Agbodza, Adaklu MP and Ranking Member on the Roads and Transport Committee on his side said what was needed now was a project manager to steer the construction of the port before a Director is appointed. 

He said currently, there were three persons drawing the salary and emoluments of a port director after they were reassigned as Port Directors to the Ministry of Transport, a situation, he said, was draining the coffers of the state. 

BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI