The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) decided on last Friday to reduce port charges by 10 per cent for vessels that berth at the Takoradi port until the situation in Cote d'Ivoire improves.

A release signed by Mr. Oscar Cudjoe, Public Affairs Manager of GPHA, said the reduction in charges for vessels affect pilotage, towage, mooring and stevedoring at the Takoradi port.

The decision was reached in view of the current instability in Cote d'Ivoire, which has compelled vessels carrying transit cargoes meant for the landlocked countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, to come to Ghana and discharge at the Tema port.

The release noted that as a result, a number of vessels have had to wait at the anchorage because of the pressure at the berthing points in the Tema port.

Mr. Nestor Galley, director of Takoradi port told the GNA in an interview that while Tema Port is under pressure, with vessels losing productive man-hours at the anchorage, there are enough berthing spaces for vessels, with all necessary equipment to help vessels to discharge their cargoes.

He was hopeful that vessels would take due advantage to use Takoradi port to save time and also stop putting pressure on the Tema port.

Mr. Galley said the GPHA would take advantage to use this test case situation to prove to those landlocked countries that their demands could easily be met even during normal situation.

He assured importers from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger that adequate preparations have been made to ensure that their transit cargoes are transported on land, adding that vehicles for that are in the system.

Takoradi port is 300 kilometres east of Abidjan, and handles about 500 vessels, which is a third of the total national cargo, 68 per cent of total (national) exports and 19 per cent of (national) imports annually, and its mission is to handle domestic and transit bargoes and provide them with excellent security.