SOAAG holds cocktail get-together for Stakeholders

The Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana, (SOAAG) has organized a cocktail get-together for stakeholders in the maritime industry.

The purpose of the cocktail get-together was to bring industry players together so as to reflect on activities in the year 2016 and share ideas as to how 2017 can be a better year for the shipping industry.

In attendance was the Minister of Transport, Hon. Kweku Ofori Asiamah, and the Members of Parliament for Tema West, Hon. Carlos Ahenkorah, Tema Central, Hon. Kofi Brako, Takoradi, Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko and Sekondi, Hon. Joe Mercer, among others.

The shipping lines were in full attendance as well as various stakeholders in the maritime industry such as GPHA, GIFF and GSA who were well represented at the function.

The Minister of Transport, Kweku Ofori Asiamah in his speech promised to work assiduously to resolve the challenges confronting the maritime industry.

“We are here to help in solving challenges confronting stakeholders and I wish to assure you all that we shall do all it takes if not to eliminate all of them, at least we will try to minimize them,” he reiterated.

The President of SOAAG, Alhaji Asuma Banda entreated providers of services in the maritime sector to exhibit maximum respect for their respective customers by not neglecting issues that need redress.

“We should treat our customers very nicely because without the customer you don’t have earnings so the customer should also be respected,” he said.

The General Manager, Business Development at the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Alice Torkornoo assured the shipping world and players in the maritime industry that the port authority will continue provide the enabling environment at the port for businesses to thrive. She said the port authority is putting in place the needed technologies and facilities to improve doing business at the ports.

“The port is taking all the necessary steps to ensure that the facilities needed to boost the businesses of shippers, to facilitate their businesses to ensure that international trade to Ghana is done at the best cost is being done by the port authority and we know that you are also doing what it takes for you to service the industry appropriately,” she said.