Tema, Oct. 6, GNA - Management of Ghana Port and Harbours Authority (GPHA) on Monday launched a sanitation and beautification week at Tema and renewed its commitment for improved environment around Tema Port. Raising a Keta broom, Mr Gordon Anim, Director of Tema Port exclaimed, "God bless her (the broom) and all who use her to promote sanitation in and around the Port."

Mr Anim then swept the front of the high table to launch the week, saying, "With the launching of the Sanitation Week., we hope to move on to maintain a healthy atmosphere that would enhance productivity of our workforce and development of the port."

During the week, GPHA, together with its cleaning contractors would carry out an ejection exercise of encroachers on its site, undertake clean-up exercises inside the Port, offices in the Port, the Fishing Harbour and the Golden Jubilee Terminal.

Other areas to be cleaned are the Commercial Warehouse Area, Food Market Area, Agency Block, Black Star Line Area, Truck Park Area, GHACEM, Transit Park as well as the Residential Area close to the Port. The launch of the week were part of efforts by management of GPHA to enhance environmental protection measures for the Port to meet internationally accepted standards to enable its market services improve on their standards of living.

Already, a multi-disciplinary committee made up of GPHA's representatives and other stakeholders has been established to deal with oil spillage and other emergency situations around the Port. Mr Anim said in addition to the inauguration of a GPHA's Sanitation and Cleaning Services last February, a Port Safety and Environment Network had been set up as a platform to facilitate the implementation and co-ordination of safety and environmental policies for all stakeholders.

There is also an on-going Strategic Environmental Assessment Study to enable GPHA to put in place a comprehensive Environmental Management Plan to mitigate environmental concerns in GPHA's Development Plan for the Port.

Mr Mahamadu Abdullai, Head of Waste Management reminded residents in the municipality that it was criminal to dump waste along and in the Chemu Lagoon. He expressed concern about the dumping of waste along the Tema beach road. GNA