Transport Minister touts Tema Port expansion

Transport Minister, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has indicated that the US$1.5 billion Tema Port expansion project will position the country’s largest sea port as the trade and investment gateway in the West African sub-region.

The port expansion project will extend the capacity of the country’s largest and busiest sea port by four-folds and the sector minister believes that will have an immense impact on the economy and the various sector actors.

Speaking at the commissioning of the project in Tema, he said: “This expansion project will facilitate efficient cargo handling services in a seamless and cost-effective manner.”

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) a Global Fortune 500 company has been awarded the marine construction contract with AECOM Professional Service (Ghana) Ltd., to oversee the construction.

The expansion works will create around 5,000 direct jobs with industry experts estimating the economic impact of the new infrastructure translating into approximately 450,000 new jobs.

The minister also announced his ministry’s plan to establish an ultra-modern training institute to build relevant capacity for the booming sea trade industry.

The academy will train maritime professionals and persons who wish to take up jobs in the blue economy.

This, he said, was one way of sustaining the significant strides being made at the country’s ports as well as pooling relevant skills to drive the growth of the port business.