Government heats up “trade hub” agenda

Transport Minister, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, says the ongoing aggressive infrastructural projects being witnessed at the ports affirm government’s quest to brand the country as the trade and transport hub of the sub-region.

The development works, according to the minister, are efforts at building an integrated intermodal system of transport to push up the gains from the maritime logistics transport value chain.

Speaking at the 11th maritime law seminar for judges, an annual event of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) in Accra, he indicated that international, as an economic driver, is a key priority of the government.

He said: “Efficient and cost-effective system of maritime logistics transport are critical to economic development.

“International trade remains a priority of government because it is an economic enabler hence the need for an integrated intermodal system of transport in the quest to position the country as a trade and investment hub.”

President John Dramani Mahama last week supervised the take-off of the US$1.5 billion Tema Port expansion project, a landmark project that will quadruple the current size of the largest and busiest seaport in the country.

There are also plans to revamp the country’s railway system to improve logistics transport to the hinterlands and neighbouring landlocked countries.

These developments, according to the sector minister, were efforts at building an integrated intermodal system of transport to push up the economic gains from the dominant sea trade industry.

The maritime law seminar is an annual event of the GSA to build the capacity of judges on current trade regulations and requirements to facilitate fair adjudication of maritime-related conflicts in the country.

Chief Executive Officer of the authority, Dr. Kofi Mbiah, stressed the significance of the capacity building for the judges in the wake of the increasing complexities in maritime and international trade activities.

He said: “Increased use of technology has fueled the rate of globalisation of commerce, a phenomenon that has fostered an integration of global and regional markets and an exponential increase in commercial activities over the recent decade.

This seminar therefore will better inform judges to meet the yearning desire for quality justice delivery in the maritime sector and beyond.”

According to the shippers’ boss, sea-borne trade reached an all-time high of US$10 billion tonnes in 2015 signifying brighter prospects for the country with regards to international trade.

He said backed by the significant feat backed by strong partnerships for quality infrastructure as well as the expansion of the Suez and Panama canals will positively affect the fortunes of the blue economy.

Total throughput to the country’s two seaports as at the third quarter of the year had increased by close to 12 percent to 14.2 million tonnes compared to the 12.7 million tonnes recorded in 2015.