Port users, staff warned against corrupt practices

The 2014/2015 National Service Year Group of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) have embarked on a float through the port environs to raise awareness about port users and staff to ensure honesty in doing business at the port.

The float formed part of activities to sensitise stakeholders in the port community on the “Integrity Campaign”, a project of the GPHA to address fraudulent acts at the country’s seaports.

The integrity walk which was led by the Tema Port Integrity Ambassador, John Mbah and the Management Coordinator of NASPA activities, Paul Asare Ansah, saw participants distributing flyers to port users and the general public.

The floaters also displayed placards with inscriptions reading “Service with Integrity Is Our Goal”, “Pay No Bribe Take No Bribe”, “Fraud is Punishable Avoid it”, “Giving and Taking Bribe Is a Crime,” among others.

The Port of Tema Integrity campaign was initiated by the management of the port as part of measures to make doing business at the port more attractive and less expensive by eliminating unethical practices aside positioning the country’s ports as the most customer-focused ports in the West African sub-region.

Marketing and Public Relations Manager of GPHA, Paul Ansah Asare, said the walk was a way of sending strong signals to service providers that management of the port will not countenance corrupt behaviours.

“We embarked on this integrity walk to send a clear message to all those providing services on our behalf that bribery and corruption are things we no longer countenance.

“Taking of bribe before the delivery of service is frowned on by the Authority; anyone found trying to extort monies from customers before offering services will be dealt with drastically.

Mr. Ansah Asare said the campaign extends to harassments and extortions along the country’s transit corridors.

“So the target is not people outside the port, it’s both the taker and the giver. Those who find the need to cut corners and induce people by way of offering them bribes to facilitate cutting of corners. They are our target,” he noted.

Mr. Ansah advised port users not to pay any money without receipts being given to them: “Do not pay any illegal money. Taking and receiving bribes are things we don’t subscribe to.

The President of NASPA-GPHA, Solomon Anderson, on behalf of the leadership of the National Service Personnel Association, said they decided to join the integrity campaign because service personnel at the GPHA believe in the cause of the integrity campaign.