The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah has appealed to cocoa marketing company, CMC, to expedite actions to make the Takoradi Port the first port of call for all cocoa export, to maximize its associated job opportunities.
The Western and Western North regions are known to be the major producers of Ghana’s cocoa. However according to statistics from the CMC, with the over 500,000 tonnes of cocoa shipped during the 2019/2020 cocoa season, 52% was shipped from Takoradi, 42% from Tema and 6% from Kumasi. This the company attributed to the fact that only two or three shipping lines called on Takoradi, despite the Region being the cocoa shipment action spot.
Meanwhile, following the commissioning of the Atlantic Terminal Services Multi-purpose Container Terminal and other ancillary projects at the Takoradi port, the Regional Minister is advocating for more cocoa export through the Takoradi port due to its expanded volume capacity.
“I therefore appeal to cocoa marketing company to fast track efforts to make the port of Takoradi, their hub for all cocoa exporting in order to expand the associated job opportunity for the people in the region especially as with coming into operation, the ACT container and the multipurpose terminal by Ibis Tek ,and shipping lines can no longer have any excuse concerning draft limitations recalling at the Takoradi port .”
He continued, “I also want to make it clear that we have enough space at the Takoradi port for businesses, for shippers, for oil and gas companies and for tourism communities, in fact there is no congestion in the Takoradi port and the ease in doing business here in Takoradi is very excellent.”
The Atlantic Terminal Services Multi-purpose container terminal development is part of the container and multi-purpose terminal concession partnership between GPHA, IbisTek Limited, and AFC-Equity of the Africa Finance Corporation.
The terminal developed now presents a 600 metre quay wall at -16m water depth along the berths. There is also a terminal space of 9.8 hectares (98,000) square metres fitted with civil engineering terminal facilities and utilities services for container terminal operations.
Crane rails have been provided in anticipation of the most modern ship-to-ship (STS) container handling cranes.
The oil and gas services terminal to be developed will provide 21 hectares of serviced terminal area.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kobina Amuah
