250 million dollars to modernise Takoradi Harbour

Takoradi, July 28 GNA - Mr Nestor Galley, the Director of the Takoradi Port, has announced a 250-million- dollar modernisation programme for Takoradi Harbour to upgrade its facilities.

The programme includes the dredging of the wharf and container berths to improve cargo handling at the cost of 70 million dollars. Mr Galley said this known when the President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), Mr Jerome Dandjinou, led an eight-member delegation for a day's working visit to the harbour.

Mr Galley said management has begun to construct 14-metre high wall around the port to improve security and to check incidents of stowaways. He said the government was sourcing for external funding to make the port the preferred port of call by shippers in the West Africa.

The programme would also develop the tourism potentials of the port. The visit by the delegation was the first leg of a programme by the PMAWCA to tour port facilities of member countries.

Twenty countries in West and Central Africa form PMAWCA, which has its headquarters in Nigeria.

Miss Hireille Francine Backo, Secretary General of the PMAWCA said the visit was part of efforts to collate ideas for a strong association.