Tema Port congestion threatens Ghana’s trade competitiveness – Maxwell Commey

Chief Executive Officer of Oro Oil Ghana Limited, Maxwell Commey, has called for urgent action to address congestion, high logistics costs and poor inland connectivity affecting Ghana’s ports, particularly the Tema Port.

Commey said the challenges were increasing the cost of doing business, disrupting trade and limiting job creation.

He said Ghana could improve the situation through infrastructure upgrades, better cargo management, increased private-sector participation, digitalisation and stronger coordination among agencies operating along the logistics chain.

“Ghana’s ports, particularly Tema, continue to grapple with congestion, high logistics costs and weak inland connectivity,” Commey said.

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“These issues are not abstract for exporters and logistics players. For agro-industrial firms such as Oro Oil Ghana, whose palm-oil and related operations depend on reliable, lower-cost movement of goods, they directly affect competitiveness, planning and job creation.”

According to him, rising trade volumes have repeatedly placed pressure on Tema’s landside operations, resulting in delays, yard congestion and higher costs for businesses and consumers.

He noted that delays caused by documentation problems, prolonged container stays and poor coordination across the logistics chain often resulted in additional charges that were eventually passed on to consumers.

Commey said landside congestion at Tema was also driven by higher import volumes, empty-container backlogs and heavy road traffic around the port enclave.

He identified road infrastructure as a major part of the problem, saying poor and deteriorating roads around Tema were contributing to congestion, accidents, higher vehicle operating costs and faster deterioration of the road network.

He therefore called for port access roads, including key routes around the Tema Harbour area, to be prioritised for rehabilitation and capacity upgrades.

Commey also urged the government to align infrastructure investment with Ghana’s export strategy.

He said reliable and affordable logistics would benefit exporters of palm oil, cocoa, other agricultural products and manufactured goods by reducing delays, demurrage and inventory costs while improving competitiveness in regional and international markets.

He added that improved logistics infrastructure would also create jobs in trucking, freight handling, warehousing and other related services while supporting industrial and agricultural growth.

“The way forward is system-wide and coordinated,” Commey said.

“Ghana should prioritise and fund integrated corridor projects that combine roads, rail and dry-port links, with clear maintenance regimes and public-private partnerships where appropriate.”

He further called for deeper digitalisation of port and logistics operations and greater private-sector participation in the provision of services.

He said coordination among the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority Customs, roads and highways authorities and private operators must also be strengthened to ensure efficient information flow and accountability.

Commey said the success of reforms should be measured by reduced cargo dwell times, lower logistics costs, greater predictability for shippers and increased support for exports and job creation.

“From the practical perspective of an exporter whose operations depend on efficient freight movement, the payoff is straightforward: goods move at the right time and at lower cost,” he said.

“Inputs reach factories and farms more reliably, while exports reach markets more competitively. That strengthens businesses, creates local employment and improves Ghana’s position as a regional gateway.”

He said Ghana already had the ports and the ambition to become a major trade hub, but completing the road and inland connectivity infrastructure was critical to achieving that goal.

“Focused investment, private involvement and relentless attention to the whole logistics system rather than isolated projects make the path feasible,” Commey said.

“Transforming bottlenecks into reliable flow is the decisive next step.”

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