Retiring GPHA manager touts Bawumia’s legacy at ports

A due-for-retirement senior staff of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Nene Ofoe Teye-Chu Agbadiagaba lV, has touted what he says is the glowing legacy that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the sitting Vice President, has already imparted on port administration in Ghana.

On the sidelines of a staff recognition meeting held in his honour, Nene, who is retiring as a manager, told journalists that Dr. Bawumia’s interventionist policies have really made working at the ports very easy.

“The flat rate system has really made it easy to effect port charges and eliminated leeway that could have been exploited by persons who would want to take advantage of people, for instance,” Nene Agbadiagaba said.

He also praised the Integrated Customs Management System, which is an end-to-end customs management system at the ports, saying it has improved trade facilitation tremendously.

“This has led to a huge increase in revenue for the government,” Nene added.

According to him, in spite of initial resistance and controversy that greeted its implementation, the ICUMS has so far been very successful, smoothening the process of the clearance of goods at the ports.

“It has succeeded in eliminating the multiple routes prior to payment of duties, ensuring seamless processes, increasing revenues, and speedy processing of pre-manifest declarations and valuation on the same system.” Nene Ofoe Teye-Chu Agbadiagaba lV said.

Nene, who turns sixty this year, is retiring from the GPHA after over 30 years of service.

At the recognition event, he was given a citation by management and praised by his colleagues, both junior and senior staff, as a very personable human being and outstanding staff member of the organization.

In the interview with journalists, he was also full of praise for the management and staff of the GPHA.

“I want to express my eternal gratitude to the Director-General of the GPHA, Michael Achague Luguje, for the visionary that he has given the Authority in the time that he has been around.

“I am also very thankful to my hardworking Director of Tema Port, Sandra Opoku, for the camaraderie and rapport that she promoted among us the staff. I doff off my hat for Col. Benjamin Boamah, the Port Security Manager, and Adriana Titus-Glover, the Operations Manager of Tema Fishing Harbour, for their good works”.

Meanwhile, Nene Ofoe Teye-Chu Agbadiagba lV praised the manifesto commitment by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to ensure that under his government, port charges in Ghana will not be more than what pertains in Togo.

“Togo is reputed for its free port system, this promise means that if Dr. Bawumia becomes president, we will have the very inexpensive rate at our ports that will make us even more competitive,” Nene Ofoe Teye-Chu Agbadiagaba lV said to thunderous applause from journalists.