The Tema branch of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) will on September 22, honour selected organizations and individuals for their excellent performance towards the advancement of logistics and transport in the country.

The theme for the Tema CILT Excellence Awards is: “Driving Efficiency and Innovation to Improve Capacity at the Ports of Ghana”.

In the individual category, the Customs Officer and the Shipper of the Year, as well as the Logistics and Transport Man/Woman of the Year will be honoured.

Distinguished organizations will receive awards as Best Freight Forwarding, Stevedoring and Haulage Companies; Shipping Agency, Container Freight Station, Inland Container Depots and Transitor.

The awards are expected to be crowned with the Overall Best Transport and Logistics Company.

Launching the programme in Tema, Mr. Richard Anamoo, Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, commended CILT for the bold initiative and expressed the hope that when sustained, the awards would spur the winners on to attain greater heights in the maritime industry to ensure customer/shipper satisfaction.

Mr. Anamoo urged stakeholders in the maritime industry to address the numerous challenges facing the industry and said if for example, the ports were decongested, it would go a long way to eradicating shippers’ dissatisfaction and displeasure at the performances of maritime workers.

An official from the ministry of transport said it was about time dedicated and committed workers in the maritime industry were recognized and rewarded, so that others would be inspired and motivated to give-off their best to enable the industry live up to expectation.

Mr. Adjei Sam, Chairman of the Tema branch of CILT, said it was formally inaugurated on December 7, 2007, but due to transfers and business re-organisations the branch became inactive for some time until March 2010, when it was revived.

He said a six-member interim executive committee was put in place to see to the revival of the Institute, and in January last year, the committee was retained unopposed to run the institute for two years.

Mr. Sam appealed to stakeholders to co-operate with CILT to ensure the success of the Excellence Awards slated for September. **