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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated a fleet of new gantry cranes and also cut the sod for the commencement of phase two of the Tema Port Expansion Project.
The inauguration of the 15 additional gantry cranes and the commencement of civil works under phase two of the Tema Port Expansion Project, operated by Meridian Port Services Ltd (MPS), will add 270,000 square metres to the existing one million square metres and set in motion a transformation that will fundamentally alter Ghana’s standing in the maritime industry in West Africa.
At the ceremony yesterday, President Akufo-Addo said the project would inure positively to the growth and development of the Tema Harbour.
The President recalled his visit to Tema on November 8, 2017, during a regional tour of the Greater Accra Region when the CEO of MPS presented to him a vision of what Terminal Three of the Tema Port would become and, six years on, that vision had been realised in its full glory.
President Akufo-Addo said through collaboration with international partners, Ghana had established a world-class trade infrastructure that did not only meet global standards but also signalled to investors, both local and international, that Ghana was open for business.
This achievement, the President said, was no small feat and it reflected the immense potential that the nation held.
“The substantial investments made in this vast land space and the state-of-the-art equipment we see today have tripled the port’s capacity.
This indicates that Ghana is poised for unprecedented trade growth.
Our strategic location, situated at the crossroads of the world, gives us a distinct advantage, offering a welcoming gateway for trade in our region and beyond,” the President said.
President Akufo-Addo said since taking office, his government had placed a high priority on the development of the agricultural sector through various initiatives, including the Planting for Food and Jobs and the Economic Enclave Project, under the Ghana CARES programme.
The President, however, said what the nation lacked over the years was modernisation and the robust logistics chain required to realise that potential.
AfCFTA
President Akufo-Addo said the emergence of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose secretariat is hosted by Ghana, represented an opportunity for Africa to strengthen immeasurably intra-African trade as a powerful avenue to develop the continent’s vast economic potential.
Source: myghanadaily
