Vessel movement resumes at Tema Port after industrial action
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has announced that vessel activities have resumed at the Tema Port after the GPHA Local Unions called off a two-day industrial action.
The workers embarked on the strike to back their demand for an agreed cessation of 20 percent containerized cargoes from the Meridian Port Services (MPS) to the GPHA.
The GPHA in a statement issued and signed by Mrs. Esther Gyebi-Donkor, General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, indicated that the Authority between 00:00 hours and 12:00 hours, eleven vessels sailed, and berthed at the Port.
The statement said Management regret the hold-up of vessel operations in the port and extended its apologies to all stakeholders including the Shipping Lines, Importers and Exporters, Freight Forwarders, Transporters, and Transit Partners, reiterating its resolve to continue to deliver efficient services in a safe and secure environment to its valued stakeholders.
It indicated that on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, the Director General and Management met with MPS on the 20 percent containerize cargo issue, after which Management appealed to the Unions to call off the industrial action with an assurance that a resolution was imminent by Thursday, July 14, 2022.
It added that “after a crunch meeting on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, involving the Minister for Transport, a Deputy Minister for Transport, the Board Chairman, the Director-General, the Director of Port of Tema, and the Chief Executive Officer of MPS.
“A letter was issued under the hand of the CEO of MPS, Mohammed Samara indicating the willingness of MPS to cede the handling of the 20 percent gateway container traffic to GPHA for two years effective 1ST August 2022.”
Giving a brief on the issue, Management stated that when the original concession agreement between MPS and GPHA was signed in 2015, it did not include the 20 percent container traffic share for GPHA.
“The 2015 contract allowed MPS to exclusively handle all container traffic. However, an appeal was made to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to intervene, culminating in a Cabinet decision in 2019 for MPS to cede a 20 percent share of container traffic to GPHA.”
It added that upon the Cabinet decision, the Management of GPHA and MPS had held several discussions and negotiations to work out the technical and financial details needed for implementation.
The statement added however that the GPHA Unions however felt the implementation had been delayed hence the agitation on the July 12 and 13.
Source: GNA