A third commercial port is to be built in the country to boost maritime trade, Mr Richard Anamoo, Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) announced on Friday in Takoradi.

He however, did not indicate where the port would be built, but asked Ghanaians to support any good investment to promote the socio-economic growth of the nation. The first port was built in Takorad, and the second in Tema in 1962.

The Director-General was speaking at a forum held by the GPHA to brief stakeholders on the progress of work on the on-going expansion project at the Takoradi harbour which started in December last year. The stakeholders included traditional authorities, Members of Parliament, assembly members and the community members.

He noted that the limited space at the Takoradi port cannot handle the increasing traffic demand in recent maritime trade; therefore it has become necessary to re-develop and transform it to meet the modern trends in the maritime industry to boost trade in the sub-region.

He said globally maritime trade has become highly competitive, as traffic continues to increase daily, while land-locked countries in the sub-region, like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali are exploring for space for transit trade.

Ghana, he said, cannot afford to miss such golden opportunity as this is a source of revenue mobilisation, therefore efforts are being made to ensure that the Takoradi port is put into shape to satisfy the growing demand in the maritime business hence the expansion project.

To this end, contract of the project has been awarded and the investors are ready to move into action. In this regard all non-functional structures such as shed four and the cocoa shed among others, and the obsolete equipment have been dismantled to pave way for the project.

The expansion project, he said, involves the reclamation of part of the sea through dredging, to contain bigger vessels to facilitate the turnaround business, revamping of access roads and rail lines, construction of offices for the investors, creation of space to the oil and gas sector and creation of space got free zones among other projects.

He said under the project, works on the reclamation of part of the sea along the Sekondi Fishing Harbour and beyond, would begin in December this year at the cost of 19 million dollars for the construction of vital structures. The Director-General said the contracts of all the projects have been awarded and the investors are ready to move into action.

Mr Anamoo assured communities along the coast that though some of the coast line would be affected by the work, their properties would not be affected to warrant re-location. Captain James Owusu-Koranteng , Director of the Takoradi Port, urged the youth to acquire skills to enable them obtain job at the port as employment is based on competency.

The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, urged the communities to co-operate with the port authorities to ensure a successful project for the benefit of the entire nation.