Ports with security lapses would not be patronised

Takoradi, Nov.19, GNA - Very soon the World Maritime Community would not patronise the services of any seaport that lacks adequate security, especially those vulnerable to incidents like stowaways.

The management of the Takoradi Port has, therefore, been urged to institute stringent measures and to do everything necessary within the law to protect the image and future of the port.

Mrs Frances Mullen Ansah, Assistant State Attorney at the Attorney General's Department, announced these at a seminar on port security at Takoradi on Wednesday.

She spoke on the topic: "The legal and social implications of stowing away" at the seminar, which was organised as part of activities to mark the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Port.

Mrs Ansah said the government was determined to make the Takoradi Port the first choice of destination in the West African sub-region by port users. She said spite the build up of global coalition against terrorism, recent worldwide violence attacks were aimed at soft targets.

Mrs Ansah gave the assurance that the Attorney General's Department would continue to cooperate with the Port authorities and the security agencies to check stowing away through the port and theft.

She advised people who would like to go abroad, especially by ship to seek greener pastures to obtain genuine travelling documents to avoid a "deadly voyage".

Mrs Ansah noted that because heavy fines were imposed on ships that carried stowaways, the travellers faced the risk of being dumped into the sea alleging that some of them were killed before their bodies were thrown into the water.

Mr. Iddrisu Mahamadu, Takoradi district magistrate who spoke on "the law, penal implications of stowing away" said he believed that there was a well organised network behind the activities of stowaways.

He, therefore, asked the police to go beyond "hauling the small fry before the courts", to do comprehensive investigation to identify their collaborators and abettors.

He reminded the security agencies that section 56 of the courts Act of 1993, Act 459 dealt with persons who stowaway, their collaborators and those who assisted them.

Mr Mahamadu said public education on the dangers involved in stowing away should be intensified and sustained because no amount of punishment to offenders could serve as deterrent to other people.

Speaking on the topic: "The harmful implications of stowing away and the new measures and legislations concerning security in the ports", Miss Josephine Nkrumah, the Executive Secretary, Ghana Association of Stevedoring Companies, suggested that workers in ships should be given proper identification and inner perimeter wall should be constructed at ports to check incidents of stowing away.

Mr Nestor Galley, the Director of the Takoradi Port, Said Ghana had signed a number of conventions and protocols designed to regulate international maritime trade.

He also said in view of the upsurge of international terrorism, the International Maritime Organisation had established a new instrument that redefined attacks and violence against ships adding that authorities in the developed countries would blacklist ships and ports without adequate security.

Mr Justice Robin Batu, Supervising High Court Judge in Sekondi called on stakeholders to coordinate efforts to check crime at the ports.