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 COMPANY PROFILE
 INTRODUCTION
The Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA) is a statutory public corporation mandated to plan, build and control Ports in Ghana.
At present the GPHA owns and operates two commercial ports namely, the Port of Tema and Port of Takoradi. Tema Port was built in 1962 and Port of Takoradi was constructed in 1928. The two Ports with the capacity of 15 million tons between them handled over 85% of the Country’s export and import trade.
In 1986, over 100 million dollars was spent to rehabilitate the ports. This has brought the Ports’ facilities and equipment up o date and resulted in very high margins in its operations performance.
A 15-year Master Plan Study has recently been undertaken with the support of the European Union with the view to improving the Ports infra and superstructure. This includes the building of dedicated containers terminals fitted with modern gantry cranes, and the dredging of both ports to minimum depths of 14 meters. The implementation of this plan is expected to increase the Ports’ capacity to handle larger vessels and about 25 million tons of cargo annually by the year 2008.
MISSION STATEMENT
Our business is to provide efficient Port facilities and services to our Customers. Our pricing policy seeks the mutual benefits of the Authority and our Customers, as we keep them to keep us in business.
We recognize our workforce as the greatest asset and the key to success in our pursuit to be the Maritime Gateway to the West African Sub-region.
We employ appropriate technology to our operations and contribute towards a clean, healthy and safe marine environment.
VISION
GPHA’s immediate interests are;
To attract a critical mass of export oriented industries into Ghana to induce export-led growth.
To make Ghana a hub for manufacturing, value added processing, trade and commerce and, the most efficient one-stop port services center in the West African sub-region and Africa.
These can be achieved through:
-Reduction of costs in doing business at the ports.
-Make GPHA a front-line trade facilitator.
-Institutional and organizational restructuring and down-sizing of Head quarters to remove functional redundancies.
-Headquarters to concentrate on essential common policy matters like finance, port statistics, legal service, project coordination and international relations.
-Development of electronic data interchange system for the port community.
-Increased container productivity reduction in the dwell time of containers in the Port.
-Development of a devanning area outside Tema Port by the end of 2000.
-Increase private sector participation in various areas of port operation.
-Dredging of the port from the deepest draft of 9.6 meters to 12 meters.
-Construction of dedicated container and bulk cargo terminals with appropriate handling facilities.
-To ensure prompt payment of taxes and dividends to Government.
-To provide more efficient and customer orientated port services.
-To ensure safety and security of cargo.
-To prepare motivating Conditions of Service for the employees.
-Strengthen Management - labor relations.
-Design and implement a more comprehensive incentive system in the Port.
-Intensify training and development of he workforce, our most valuable asset.
PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
We are signatory to the Marine Pollution Convention (MARPORL) and ensure our Ports and Harbors are clean and safe. In the Community we have contributed to the maintenance of the pumping station of Tema Development Corporation (TDC) to improve the sewage system of Tema.
GPHA has a policy to ensure that the port approaches are clear of sunken vessels and the coast also cleaned up of ship wrecks. We are embarking on a campaign to rid the coastline of all laid-up vessels.
SAFETY
We have a remarkable safety record. We have a safety department at both ports. One week during the year we organize a Safety Week during which seminars are organized for staff, Port users and the public to increase their knowledge and safety awareness.
Safety education/First Aid is also part of every curriculum in our in-plant training program also make closely with the Factory Inspectorate Division, Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare to ensure a healthy and safe work place environment.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
-Health
We have well established clinics in Tema and Takoradi. Both clinics care for our staff, their dependents and the general public. Public Health Post have been established on our workers’ estates for child care and for health education. First Aid clubs have also been established in the organization.
-Public Health
We have made several contribution in cash and kind to various health related programs to improve public awareness of health related problems i.e. National AIDS Awareness week and the West Africa College of Surgeon Conference. In May 1998 we contributed 2 million cedis to the Red Cross Society. Our medical staff have provided community health assistance to some villages including Kpone in the Greater Accra Region. We also contributed 10 million cedis to the Ghana Heart Foundation in March 1998. During the health celebration of the Tema Municipal Assembly, GPHA donated an amount of 2 million cedis to the Tema Polyclinic to assist them in their activities.
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GPHA has been giving transportation support to the National Polio Immunization Program in the metropolis.
We support the Tema Community in other ways. Our fire service provides support during fire hazard.
Every year apart from hosting the best farmers of the year, GPHA also contributed yearly to Tema Municipal Assembly’s farmers day celebration.
We also contributed towards recent General Information/Awareness Bazaar organized by Tema Community Two Youth Association.
SOCIAL INVESTMENT
Among other financial support given for the rehabilitation of some schools in the Tema Community, the GPHA, the Tema Municipal Assembly and the TDC have set up an endowment fund to finance project at Manhean (i.e. Tema New Town).
GPHA recognizes education as the bedrock of development and has contributed towards its development.
In September 1999, GPHA contributed an amount of 2 million cedis towards the National Education Forum.
An amount of 5 million cedis was also given out to support the Keta Constituency Scholarship Scheme.
Under the GPHA scholarship scheme, 60 dependents of the employees have so far been awarded scholarship to pursue education in second cycle institution in the country.
At the moment GPHA is building Manhean a Children’s Park and a Recreational Center worth 60 million cedis.
Again, GPHA contributed towards the Tema Children’s Park Project being undertaken by Zonta Club of Tema.
An amount of about 19.8 billion cedis was used by GPHA to reconstruct the Tema Port Access Road.
The project involved the repair of the existing carriageway and the Provision of a second carriageway to turn the entire 6km length of access road to an asphalt dual carriageway.
In June 1999 the Port Ladies Association assisted the Missionaries of Charity, an orphanage in Ashiaman near Tema, with a cash donation of 1.7 million cedis. The Association also donated various items and sums of money to the Osu Children’s Home, the SOS Village in Tema and the Accra Children’s Hospital.
Moreover we donated 4 overhead water tanks valued at 4 million cedis each in aid of provision of portable water to the Saboba Clinic n the Northern Region through the Rotary Club if Accra.
GPHA also contributed and amount of 1 million cedis tot he First Battalion of Infantry, Michel Camp, Tema, towards their end of year activities.
The Authority also assisted the Tema Traditional Council with an amount of $500 to enable a representative undertake a trip to "Festival Africa" in the Barbados.
In March 1999, the Authority contributed an amount of 5 million towards the hosting of the African African-American Summit in Ghana.
In July 1999, GPHA supported the Employers Association with a cash donation of 1 million cedis in their 40th Anniversary Celebration.
Still in July 1999, GPHA contributed an amount of 15 million cedis towards the celebration of PANAFEST.
Another 1 million cedis was donated to the June 4 Revolution and National CDR Day in the 20th Anniversary Celebration.
In September this year GPHA contributed an amount of 2 million towards the National Farmers Day Celebrations.
CONSUMER SATISFACTION
The Authority has a Marketing and Public Relations Section that handle customer complaints and try to address them. There is also a Port Advisory Committee made up of GPHA, major private operators and ship owners that meets monthly at a round table and tries to solve problems brought up by customers.
The GPHA is developing modalities for the establishment of a body called Port Community in each Port. These will consist of all key players in the port industry brought together as part of the management machinery of he ports. This will ensure maximum customer satisfaction among other things.
TRADE PROMOTION
With the promotion of non-traditional exports, the ports made available an export shed exclusively to facilitate the exports of the non-traditional products.
A shed has also been dedicated for the Burkina Faso transit cargo to boost the sub-regional trade policy of terminals fitted with modern gantry cranes, and the dredging of both ports to minimum depths of 14 meters. The implementation of this plan is expected to increase the Ports’ capacity to handle larger vessels and about 25 million tons of cargo annually by the year 2008.
GHAPOHA FC
After 4 years in the Premier League Division, Ghapoha FC made history by winning 2 championships cups, the FA Cup in July 1997 and the WAFU cup in October 1997. This brought great honor to GPHA and Tema township in general. The positive image building potential of Ghapoha FC cannot be over-emphasized.
BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
1998 1997
cedis (m) cedis (m) % increase
Turnover 162,646 120,089 35.4%
Net Profit after
Depreciation 61,712 42,575 44.9%
Tax 19,800 5,000 29.6%
Debt Equity Ratio 1 : 1.4 1 : 1.05 33.3%
Dividends 4,700 3,500 34.3%
GPHA currently has a workforce of 3256.
CONCLUSION
The Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA) is statutory public corporation mandated to plan, build, manage and control ports in Ghana.
GPHA has contributed to development in Ghana in terms of employment, foreign trade, revenue to government, profits for reinvestment, community developments etc.
The relationship between the port and its environment and the community is symbiotic.
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© World INvestment NEws, 1999.
This is the electronic edition of the special country report on Ghana published in Forbes
December 13th 1999 Issue.
Developed by AgenciaE.Tv |
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GHANA
