Appointment of Keta Port CEO unnecessary, a rape on resources – Quashigah

Member of Parliament for Keta, Richard Quashigah has described President Akufo-Addo’s appointment of Dr Alexander Y. Adusei Jr as Director of the ‘none-existing’ Keta Port as “unnecessary and a rape on the resources” of the country.

At a press conference in Accra, Monday, Hon Quashigah who addressed the media on behalf of the Volta Caucas urged the President to withdraw the appointment of Mr. Adusei as he argued that there was no justification for the move.

“…to appoint a Director for a non-existing seaport at Keta with status as directors of Tema and Takoradi ports is not only preposterous, infuriating, but also an attempt to cause wilful financial loss to the state,” he noted.

The legislator said a director of ports in Ghana was entitled to a fully furnished official residence, a four wheeled vehicle with a driver, free fuel, car maintenance allowance, free communication, entertainment allowance, professional allowance, a gardener, domestic servants, free medical care for the director, his wife and children below 21 years.

While mentioning that “Having a sea port at Keta, is a cherished dream of the people of Keta and its environs as it will automatically lead to a positive socio economic transformation of the area; restoring it to its past glories and above all arrest the ugly unemployment devil”, Mr Quashigah emphasized there’s no need to appoint a director who will be entitled to a salary ranging between twenty thousand and twenty five thousand cedis and other allowances when the facility is yet to begin operations.

Mr. Quashigah intimated that currently, there are four directors for the two existing and functioning Tema and Takoradi Ports – an indication that two of the directors were redundant. Hence, if there was the need for an appointment, one of the two should have been assigned accordingly.

"If for nothing at all, why wouldn’t the President appoint one of the redundant directors as director for the imaginary Keta port rather than appointing Dr. Edusei bringing the number of Directors of ports to five when only two are needed. Perhaps this novelty is yet another 'presidential initiative', the legislator explained.

"This appointment is unnecessary and a rape on the resources of GPHA and for that matter the Ghanaian taxpayer. Maintaining a director of port a month is estimated to cost between hundred and twenty thousand to a hundred and fifty thousand Ghana cedis.”



Background

It would be recalled that government in April 2018 signed an agreement with Diamond Cement Ghana Limited to begin the construction of a port at Keta.

In January this year, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Madam Elizabeth Afoley Quaye said President Akufo-Addo had signed an Executive Instrument to allow for work on the port project to begin.

Although the project has not been completed yet, a letter signed by Transport Minister Kwaku Ofori Asiama and dated March 19, 2019 announced the appointment of private legal practitioner Dr. Alexander Y. Adusei Jr as Director for Keta Port.