Transport Minister, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah is confident the upgrade and redevelopment of Tema Shipyard will be a major factor to Ghana’s industrialisation drive.

Addressing the media at a pre-proposal bidding conference organised by the Ministry of Transport, the Minister emphasized the need to upgrade and redevelop the shipyard, insisting it is necessary to meet government’s industrialization agenda.

According to him, government considers the Shipyard as a strategic national asset which if developed, could contribute significantly to the Integrated Bauxite Industry as well as the oil and gas industry.

"Government under the leadership of H.E The President as part of the industrialisation programme is pursuing the Integrated Bauxite and Aluminium Project. Government, therefore, considers the Shipyard as a strategic national asset and seeks to rehabilitate and upgrade it into a modern well-equipped Shipyard to ensure that it contributes significantly to the Integrated Bauxite Industry as well as the oil and gas Industry," the Minister said.

The Tema Shipyard and Dry-dock have not seen any major upgrade since their establishment in the 1960s by Ghana's first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

Kwaku Ofori Asiamah narrated that the only attempt at improving the facilities failed to materialise as the Malaysian investors brought into the country to manage the facilities fell short of expectations prompting the government to take over majority shares in 2014.

The minister is optimistic the upgrade and other redevelopment works when completed will facilitate Ghana’s industrialisation drive and put Ghana in a position to increase its trade volumes.

He said, "It’s the expectation of Government that the Private Partner that would be selected at the end of this solicitation process would partner Government to bring about the needed technology and investment that would eventually lead to the scale-up facilities in the Yard. With the oil and gas activities in Ghana, the Shipyard is well positioned to take advantage of opportunities and help to promote local content and improve Ghana's competitiveness in West Africa's offshore oil and gas industry."

Six strategic investor companies have been shortlisted to bid for the development of the Tema Shipyard and Dry-dock into a modern and world-class facility.

The companies are Dormec Marine and Engineering, Ladol Freezone Enterprise, Secant Technologies, Submarine Holdings Limited, Strategic Security Systems and Life Forms Limited.

The company that would be selected at the solicitation process would partner the Government of Ghana to introduce the needed technology and investment that would eventually lead to the scale-up of facilities at the Yard.

Mr. Asiamah explained that the Stage One of the bidding selection process which involved the evaluation of investor qualification statements had been completed, while Stage Two which was ongoing also involved the submission of detailed proposals from the six shortlisted firms from stage one.

He further assured investors of transparent and fair bidding processes devoid of political interference and influence.