Business News of Tuesday, 23 July 2019

Source: EOP

GPHA Director-General assures workers of no job losses

Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, Michael Luguje addressing workers Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, Michael Luguje addressing workers

The Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, Michael Luguje and the Director of Tema Port, Sandra Opoku, have met the staff of GPHA, led by the Maritime and Dockworkers Union of Ghana and the Local Staff Union executives of GPHA, to assure them of no job losses in the wake of the commencement of the new MPS Terminal 3 operations.

"We are working towards preventing the danger we are afraid of. What the president requested is that everything should be done to ensure that we don't declare a single person redundant."

The Director-General, of GPHA revealed that Management of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, the Meridian Ports Services, and the Union representatives, would meet per the President of the Republic's directive to review the concession agreement in order to bring a fair solution to the concerns of GPHA and its staff.

“The president appeal was that, if that contract is creating difficulties that will not let us enjoy that project as expected of us, then it is our responsibility as parties to that agreement to sit together and make some sacrifices that will help prevent a bad situation,” the DG revealed.

He, therefore, urged workers of GPHA to continue working hard at their daily duties, while they wait on the discussions that are currently ongoing.
"What is important is that, while we are making a case that we don't want any person to lose his job, we should be seen to be committed to continuously working hard and even better than we were doing before,” he encouraged.

The Director of Tema Port, Sandra Opoku on her part, assured that a few technological difficulties witnessed in the past few days were because of integration with the new Terminal 3 of the MPS and the problem will soon be over.

"We have had a few problems. And we know that when something new starts there is going to be teething problems and that is what has affected all of us. There has been a problem about the online tracking system. There are many errors and we would resolve it soon," she revealed.

The Union executives expressed renewed faith in the Management of GPHA and assured of close collaborations with Management to ensure GPHA is secure for the development of Ghana.

"We have a lot of interest in the port and our interest is to see GPHA of yesterday as GPHA of today. We are giving you our assurance this morning of our commitment," the Junior Staff Union Secretary stated.