The Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Hon. Sampson Ahi, together with the Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe and his Deputy , on Tuesday March 10, 2026 visited the Tema Port to inspect ongoing dredging works aimed at improving the port’s capacity to receive larger vessels.
The visit highlighted government’s commitment to improving port operations and reducing the cost of doing business in Ghana.
Speaking during the inspection, Hon. Sampson Ahi on behalf of the Minister for Trade Agribusiness and Industry Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare, expressed gratitude to the President of the Republic His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Transport, and the management of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority for delivering on their promise to complete key dredging works within two weeks.
According to him, delays in offloading clinker at the port had long been a major challenge for cement manufacturers, forcing them to pay huge demurrage charges which ultimately increased the cost of cement production and for consumers.
“This intervention will support the cement business in the country and help reduce unnecessary delays at the port,” he noted, adding that collaboration between ministries and agencies is key to lowering the cost and time involved in doing business in Ghana.
Transport Minister Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, also reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring that the Tema Port operates effectively to serve Ghana and the wider sub-region, including landlocked countries.
He revealed that the dredging of Berths 13 and 14 will now allow larger vessels carrying up to 65,000 tons of clinker and other materials to dock directly at the port eliminating the previous challenge for vessels to offload part of their cargo at Takoradi Port before proceeding to Tema.
This development, he explained, will significantly ease congestion, speed up cargo handling, and support cement manufacturers by ensuring faster access to raw materials.
The inspection confirmed that Berth 13 and 14 are now ready to receive larger vessels marking a major step toward improving port efficiency and reducing the cost of doing business in Ghana.
In a remark, the Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Major General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, explained that the dredging project is designed to improve efficiency at the port and accommodate larger vessels.
He indicated that the deeper berths will significantly reduce turnaround time for ships and help lower operational costs, benefits that will ultimately be passed on to consumers. He added that the full dredging works are expected to be completed by mid-June, positioning the port to operate more efficiently and support government’s vision of a 24-hour economy while creating more jobs and wealth for Ghanaians.
The Government officials commended the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority for delivering the project within the promised timeline, describing it as a strong example of effective collaboration to drive economic growth, job creation, and improved service delivery.
The inspection by the government officials follows a meeting convened by the Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Ministry held in February 2026 with Chamber of Cement Manufacturers Ghana (COGMAG) and the Transport Ministry to address shipping delays at the Port.
