Former special aide to late President Rawlings, Dr Donald Agumenu, has asked government to consider situating a container terminal at the Akanu border in Dzodze-Penyi to help create jobs and raise more revenue.

He said the trade volume that passes from Ghana through the Akanu border linking Togo-Benin-Nigeria and vice versa makes it more imperative for a terminal to host container goods.

According to Dr Agumenu, a special strategy from the Ghanaian government in conjunction with the Togolese counterpart for the container terminal at the border will help create a win-win situation for all parties as the Lome Port will drastically be decongested to create space for more containers.

“The investment that has been done by the government of Ghana in the trans-ECOWAS highway road infrastructure will pay off more dividends to the two neigbouring countries and ECOWAS at large if we situate a container terminal there.

“The local economy of Ketu North and the Volta region will immediately be revolutionalised as jobs will be created, and revenue will increase,” he observed.

Container terminals, also known as off-dock terminals/inland container depots, are yards located in the hinterland of a country presumed as an extension of a port to do decongestion.

The full complement of port services, including customs inspection, payment of taxes/duties and goods clearance, can legally occur at container terminals.   

Monitoring reports reveal that large volumes of importation by customers pass through the Lome Port in Togo for onward transit via road to Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali. And the Akanu border in Dzodze-Penyi has become a conduit for long haulage trucks.

Dr Agumenu stated that with the ramping effects of global economic crises and the Covid-19 pandemic, government needs to be very creative in providing jobs, raising revenue and sustaining economic growth.

He said, “the Akanu border has become a strategic point to customers in addition to the Aflao border. With Ghana now hosting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfTCA), a deliberate pace setter strategic investment in a container terminal at the Akanu border will help harmonise and increase trade in West Africa.”

“In fact, the growth of unemployment in the Volta region is becoming alarming, and some drastic and sustainable measures must be put in place to curb the menace.

“This container terminal will definitely offer our people a hope for a meaningful life and cut down on the human exodus to Accra and galamsey communities for non-existent better livelihood.”