A delegation from São Tomé and Príncipe has visited the Takoradi Port in the Western Region to familiarise itself with the operations of the facility.
The visit was part of an exploratory study between Ghana and Sao Tome to have a port of entry in Ghana and also strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
The port of entry is a physical gateway that connects shipping of freight from one jurisdiction to another, and it is expected to be sited in the Greater Accra Region or the Western Region.
The São Tomé and Príncipe delegation, made up of government officials and experts was led by the country’s Minister of Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Environment, Adelino Cardoso.
They were conducted around the port by Ghana’s Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah and the Takoradi Port Director, Peter Amoo-Bediako.
Facilities the delegation and Ghanaian officials visited at the Takoradi port included the dry bulk jetty, the oil and gas terminal and the Atlantic Terminal Service cargo terminal.
Mr Cardoso told journalists that his country was desirous of exploring opportunities in Ghana’s maritime domain and would examine how to utilise free zones facilities for storage of containers in Ghana’ ports particularly at Takoradi Port for mutual benefit.
He said Ghana’s location in the Gulf of Guinea was vital for São Tomé and Príncipe, and expressed the hope that the Takoradi Port would be the preferred choice for business.
On his part, Mr Asiamah said the visit was reciprocal to one he made to Sao Tome in February, this year, as part of the vision to deepen relations between Ghana and the central African country.
He said, Sao Tome had expressed interest to use Ghana’s port to receive transit goods for most of their cargoes and the decision between Tema and Takoradi port was yet to be made.
Mr Asiamah indicated that, Takoradi Port, built in 1928, was now one of the most modernised ports in the world and that its infrastructure was being improved to make it a major hub for maritime trade.
“Definitely, Sao Tome using Ghana as a transit port, means more cargo coming, export and imports will increase tonnage as far as port operations are concerns, and to them– if they can do the shipping from here which is not far, it will reduce cost of shipping and be beneficial to them. So, for both sides, it will be win-win situation” he said.
Mr Asiamah said IBISTEK, an engineering company and partners were obliged to campaign and attract container vessels to the multi-purpose container terminal, saying that, by January, Takoradi port would witness brisk business.
Briefing the delegation, Mr Amoo-Bediako, said the expansion of infrastructure and operations at the port was to improve turnaround time and also the haulage of manganese, bauxite and clinker.
He added that, Takoradi Port was poised to become the preferred destination for the Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger corridors.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, TAKORADI
