Business News of Saturday, 14 April 2018

Source: Solomon Anderson

GPHA signs MOU with Diamond Cement for the construction of Keta port

Paul Ansah, Director-General of GPHA and Tati Rama Rao, General Manager of Diamond Cement Paul Ansah, Director-General of GPHA and Tati Rama Rao, General Manager of Diamond Cement

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Diamond Cement Ghana Limited, one of the top cement producers in the country to begin the construction of a port at Keta in the Volta Region.

According to the Director-General of GPHA, Paul Ansah, the New Patriotic Party government made it clear that it was committed to widening developments across various sectors of the economy and that developments in Port and Harbours were not going to be left out.

“In collaboration with Diamond Cement that dream of government is being fulfilled,” he said.

A concession agreement is expected to be reached some few months after the signing of the MOU for the project.

Paul Asare Ansah said the construction of a jetty at Keta will facilitate the importation of raw materials for Diamond Cement as well as reduce their cost of doing business.

He noted that the construction will see Keta port handle vessels to ease congestion at the Tema and Takoradi Ports and also increase the volume of business in the West Africa sub-region since the facility would be used by other operators.

“Keta Port forms part of the implementation of government’s promise to the people of the Volta Region to build a port in Keta,” he said.



Paul Ansah indicated that the project has the prospect of giving meaningful jobs to the teaming youth in the Volta region and Ghanaians at large.

He added that it will also attract more investments from Togo and its neighbouring countries into Ghana.

The Director-General noted that the port would be instrumental in the exploration of oil in the Keta Basin.

The General Manager of Diamond Cement Ghana Limited, Tati Rama Rao was grateful to GPHA and Ghana government for creating the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive.

Togbi Joachin Acolatse, Dufia of Kedzi in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region, commended the port officials for the continuous collaboration.

He noted that the construction of the port would boost economic activities and create job opportunities for the people in the region, urging the people to support government in the implementation of the project.