The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has demonstrated resilience, strategic vision and unwavering commitment to national development throughout its 40 years of operation, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the GPHA Board Chairman, has said.

Mr Nketiah stated that the authority had, over the four decades, evolved significantly through infrastructure expansion, technological adoption and improved operational efficiency to position Ghana’s ports as critical gateways for trade and regional integration.

The GPHA Board Chairman made the commendation at a ceremony in Tema to launch the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the GPHA.

He said the anniversary was not merely a celebration of the authority’s years of existence, but a reflection of its contribution to Ghana’s socio-economic development and the transformation of the country’s maritime industry.

“Forty years on, this milestone is not just a celebration of years, but a testament to four decades of resilience, strategic vision and unwavering commitment to national development,” he said.

He added that the Ports of Tema and Takoradi had become more than points of entry and exit, serving as critical economic gateways that facilitated international trade, supported industries and promoted regional integration.

Mr Nketiah said the strategic location of the two ports on the Gulf of Guinea provided Ghana with a competitive advantage in facilitating trade with Europe, the Americas and Asia, while also supporting the logistics requirements of the oil and gas industry.

He noted that successive boards and management teams had overseen significant investments in port infrastructure, including public-private partnerships, automation and advanced information technology systems.

The Board Chairman cited the expansion of Tema Port and the ongoing transformation of Takoradi Port as evidence of efforts to build world-class maritime infrastructure capable of responding to the changing demands of global trade.

He said recent investments, including a 3.5 million twenty- foot equivalent unit (TEU) container terminal, dry bulk terminal and natural gas liquid export terminal had enhanced cargo handling capacity and operational efficiency.

He said the planned Takoradi Floating Dock project, backed by £101 million in financing, would further strengthen Ghana’s ship-repair capabilities, support offshore operations and position Takoradi as a leading maritime hub in the sub-region.

Mr Nketiah indicated that the GPHA’s contribution extended beyond Ghana’s borders through the provision of transit facilities serving landlocked countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Also, the establishment of the Unity Terminal at Tema was expected to ease congestion at the transit terminal and provide a one-stop-shop facility for transit operations.

Looking ahead, Mr Nketiah announced that the board would focus on expanding port capacity, promoting green-port initiatives and leveraging technology to develop smart ports capable of meeting the challenges and opportunities of the next 40 years.

He said achieving the ambition required sustained collaboration among the GPHA, shipping lines, terminal operators, Customs, freight forwarders, transport operators, investors and other stakeholders in the maritime sector.

“We can remove unnecessary bottlenecks, simplify procedures, improve customer service and make Ghana the perfect destination for trade and logistics in our region,” he added.

Mr Nketiah expressed appreciation to successive boards, management, staff and other stakeholders whose contributions had sustained the development of the authority over the past four decades.

The GPHA was established under PNDC Law 160 in 1986 to unify the Ghana Ports Authority, Takoradi Lighterage Company and Ghana Cargo Handling Company into a single organisation responsible for managing Ghana’s ports.