PORT OF TEMA, GHANA — The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) is rolling out urgent reforms aimed at alleviating congestion and modernizing infrastructure at the nation’s busiest maritime gateway, a move signaling the agency’s shift toward operational agility and trade competitiveness.
Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye Kulono, Director General of GPHA, announced the measures during a high-level stakeholder engagement session, emphasizing a “zero backlog” strategy and long-term infrastructure investment plan.
Targeted Intervention to Improve Flow
The first phase of the decongestion effort includes the deployment of 15 newly acquired trucks, part of a 30-truck fleet designed to accelerate container transfers from Meridian Port Services’ Terminal 3 to Terminal 2. The results have been swift. Container backlogs have plummeted from nearly 5,000 units to fewer than 1,000, with GPHA projecting full clearance by month’s end.
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“This is a matter of both operational integrity and investor confidence,” Brig. Gen. Tanye Kulono told stakeholders. “We are committed to processing all transfers within a three-day window going forward.”
His comments, reported by the Accra Street Journal, underscore a broader reform mandate as Ghana’s port system grapples with rising trade volumes and aging infrastructure.
Capital Investments in Dredging and Roads
Beyond short-term fixes, GPHA is advancing strategic infrastructure upgrades. Dredging of the Port of Tema is slated to begin in Q1 2026, aimed at increasing vessel turnaround speed and boosting handling capacity amid growing cargo volumes.
Additionally, reconstruction of deteriorating access roads around the port is scheduled to commence in the coming weeks. The port chief acknowledged users’ frustrations and appealed for patience during the rehabilitation phase.
“The roads are a bottleneck, but the fix is coming,” he said. “These improvements are critical to Ghana’s trade ecosystem.”
Industry Backing for Reforms
The business community is backing the GPHA’s new approach. Joseph Obeng, President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), commended the leadership’s sense of urgency and commitment to port efficiency.
“Trade facilitation drives business growth. We support every effort to cut time, reduce costs, and eliminate procedural delays,” Obeng stated.
The reforms are part of GPHA’s push to maintain an open dialogue with logistics stakeholders, importers, and terminal operators, and to position Ghana as a more attractive hub in West African maritime trade.
As global supply chains grow increasingly complex, officials say Ghana’s ability to streamline port operations will be vital to sustaining growth in exports, attracting foreign direct investment, and improving overall ease of doing business.
Last Updated on May 26, 2025 by
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
