The AfriKan Continental Union Consult (ACUC), a think tank in African good governance, has called on the government of Ghana to connect the Tema Port to landlocked Sahel countries to facilitate trade.
Dr Benjamin Anyagre Aziginaateeg, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ACUC, speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the Tema Port was a blessing to Ghana, well situated for transit trade facilitation.
Dr Aziginaateeg indicated that having good inland transportation networks anchored by motorways and rail connectivity would facilitate the movement of goods and services to the newly growing Sahel economies.
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He added that this would build upon Ghana’s first president Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s vision to create a jurisdiction where productive activities within the mantra of “work and happiness” attracted trade and foreign investment to enhance economic growth.
“The construction of the harbour, fitted into a kind of trio-horizon terrain of industries and employment, with a port to grow Tema into a megacity with decent work opportunities aimed at standardising a living wage with assurances for youth employment,” he said.
According to the CEO, Tema became the destination for employment and job opportunities for many graduates and skilled workers at the time, a situation that could be revamped.
He said: “Mindfully, Nkrumah pictured a future Tema Port with advanced infrastructure, including automated systems and deep-water berths to enhance efficiency and capacity to make Ghana a key player in global container shipping.”
He added that even though some form of expansion was carried out a few years back, the Tema harbour still needs further expansion to recapture Nkrumah’s original vision for the area to be a vital hub for international trade, with the capacity to handle massive volumes of cargo.
According to him, this would provide the country with many benefits, including driving trade and economic activity, creating varied jobs both directly and indirectly within the harbour and surrounding areas, and also positively contributing to a 24-hour economy positive effect.
Dr Aziginaateeg said: “The port contributes to local economic development, attracting foreign investment and also contributing significantly to GDP and overall economic transformation.
Tema Harbour is a strategic pillar for effective Pan-African trade and economic initiatives at the behest of governments and institutions like the AFCFTA to contribute to tangible Pan-African economic integration, connecting coastal areas with inland cities within the sub-region.”
The ACUC CEO stressed that the president should reset the Tema Port through expansion to recapture its original purpose to operate as a Pan African duty-free transshipment and storage of goods to cover the Alliance of Sahel States.
GNA