Tema, March 18, GNA – The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has intensified plans to prevent long haulage trucks from entering the Tema Seaport to transact business.
Mrs Esther Gyebi-Donkor, GPHA General Manager for Marketing and Corporate Affairs, said the authority would soon clamp down on long haulage trucks at the seaport.
She, therefore, called on truck owners and the drivers to cooperate with GPHA officials to tackle issues associated with the long haulage trucks, adding that the GPHA was well aware of the inconvenience such trucks posed to business transactions at the seaport.
Mrs Gyebi-Donkor announced the plans, at the 4th sensitization workshop organized by the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) for haulage truck drivers in Tema.
She explained that some consultants were brought to inspect the trucks at the port a few years ago, but were faced with stiff opposition from the drivers and the truck owners adding that in some circumstances the owners of the trucks were not readily available to cooperate with the officials.
Mrs. Gyebi-Donkor stated that GPHA would benefit immensely when things go well during transit trades, saying that having an improved corridor devoid of problems and agitations demanded that all stakeholders must play their roles as expected.
The GPHA General Manager for Marketing and Corporate Affairs revealed that the Ghana Ports was not only competing with itself as far as transit trade was concerned, but also with other strong ports in Lome, Abidjan, Cotonou, and far away Dakar.
She added that the right thing must be done to ensure the GPHA stands tall amongst its competitors.
Mr Mahama Sali Goma, Chairman for the Concerned Drivers’ Union at the Tema Harbour expressed gratitude to the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) for organizing the workshop for haulage drivers.
Mr Goma appealed to the GPHA to expedite actions on the long vehicles at the port saying that their activities at the port threatened lives and property at the seaport and on the roads as well.