The total automation of port operations by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) is in the works, says the Director-General of the ports management body at an engagement with senior editors in Accra in the twilight of last year.

The Director-General of GPHA, Paul Asare Ansah posted a fantastic picture of the paperless novelty, whose initial hiccups were harped upon by some stakeholders.

With the major turnaround recorded by the innovation, the negative impressions have been revised, though the astronomical increase in revenue evidential of the claim.

The year 2018 will, therefore, witness a major movement to a transhipment paperless operations project which would be completed by the end of the year, he added.

When the project is completed, the Tema Port would be unrivalled in its ability to provide automated services in both Central and West Africa.

A port expansion project is being envisaged to, as he put it, accelerate the export capacity of the facility in anticipation of an increase in this segment of the economy.

The Director-General announced the payment of GHC40,000 by the Ports’ authority to the government, being it's financial obligation due to the state aside from the settlement of GPHA’s indebtedness.

It is the aim of GPHA to reduce to the barest minimum the dependence of external loans to fund development projects of the authority, a move he said is economically prudent.

The Director-General announced that efforts were being made to bring local businesses to the container trade at the ports, which has been monopolized by foreign concerns.

“We will encourage Ghanaians to participate in the container business,” he said.

The Director-General denied that the Takoradi Port was being neglected in the scheme of things, pointing out that the facility is beneficiary of a European funding.

This, he explained, would witness the undertaking of various projects to accommodate more containers.