40th PMAWCA conference held with a call on African ports to reduce pollution

The 40th Council Meeting and 15th Director-General Round Table Conference of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) have been held in Togo.

The 40th Council Meeting is one of the annual council meetings PMAWCA has been having over the years where the board of directors comprising Director Generals of the various ports receive and review reports of the various committees.

This year’s PMAWCA conference which runs from 17th June to 20th June 2019 brought together Director Generals and Managing Directors of ports from 15 West and Central African countries, representatives from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other stakeholders in the maritime industry including the Ghana Ports and Harbors' Authority.

The Director-General of Port of Lomé, Contre-Admiral Fogon Kodjo Adegnon in his welcome address charged ports in west and central Africa to continue to invest in technology so as make their ports efficient.

The President of PMAWCA, Jorge Mauricio charged Ports Authorities to work hard and also be innovative in order to make Ports become instruments of economic development in the sub-region.

“PMAWCA must work to ensure that they operate to like the various economic organizations to make sure our ports become a real instrument of economic development and for the benefit of their people."

Addressing participants, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Togo, said in the light of the increase in African trade, there is the need for African Ports to be stronger and defend the interest of the continent using technology.

“It is in this very context that our member countries especially our ports can also take advantage of the international trade to continue to generate revenue for the welfare of our people," he encouraged.

The conference exhibition was inaugurated and the stands of Ghana’s Ports received significant patronage from participants.