The Tema Port expansion project was launched by H.E John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana at an impressive ceremony in Tema.

The ambitious project, is a Public Private Partnership between the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), and Meridian Ports Services (MPS), involves an upgrade and significant expansion of Ghana’s main seaport.

President Mahama said government’s decision had been to position the ports of Ghana as a trade and investment gateway to the West African sub-region.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Tema East, Titus Glover under whose constituency the Tema port expansion project is located says he is impressed about the spate of development and transformation taking place at the port.

Describing the expansion project as a welcoming news, Titus Glover said the fortunes of the project should reflect in the lives of the indigenes. He commended the efforts of successive governments in ensuring that the port is expanded and transformed as a result of the increase in vessels that call the port.

“Generally, it is good for the country that we need to expand our ports looking at the volume of traffic of cargo that is coming into the port and the fact that there are larger vessels that are expected into the port, but if we don’t have that capacity to receive them in the port it becomes a problem. So with this port expansion that is going on I am all in support for it,” he said.

He further commended the management of the port authority for their visionary leadership in ensuring that the port attains its vision of becoming a leading container hub and industry in West Africa.

He was excited about the fact that over 5000 jobs would be created by the expansion project and appealed that indigenes of Tema are employed.

“Sincerely I know that we are going to benefit a lot, in terms of the skill, the manpower and all that so we will look at that angle as to how we can do to make sure some of our people are engaged to make sure they also get something at the end of the day,” he said.

Titus Glover also hailed the construction of slipways at the Tema motorway roundabout but asked for more for the people of Tema.

“The road expansion is very good because we are experiencing the traffic congestion on the motorway leading to the loss of manpower because of the traffic congestion.

The construction of the slipways is going to open up the township, it will make working time lesser for us because when you are traveling from work to home, home to work, it is very important that you make sure that you are on time and contribute to productivity so when you are stuck in traffic and all these things are happening it a big problem to us,” he said.