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Tension mounts
at Tema Port over contract with Meridian Port Services
Tema, Oct. 10, Ghanadot/GNA -- Tension is mounting at Tema
Port over the intention of management of Ghana Ports and
Harbours Authority (GPHA) to implement its contract with
management of Meridian Port Services (MPS) to handle all
vessels containing 50 plus containers from Wednesday,
October 15.
The managements of eight indigenous stevedoring companies
have said implementation of the contract would collapse
their businesses since vessels containing less than 50
containers rarely berth at the port.
They are, Dash Wood Stevedore Company, Golden Gates
Services, Atlantic Port Services and Speedline Stevedoring.
The rest are Fountain View Services, Odart Stevedoring,
Gemini Stevedoring and Advance Stevedoring Company.
On Thursday, September 2 this year, management of GPHA
allegedly informed managements of the companies of its
intention to implement part of its contract with MPS, from
October 15.
The company, with 30 per cent share ownership by management
of GPHA and 70 per cent share by management of Maerskline of
Denmark and Bollre of France, is a private company in charge
of stevedoring and shore handling at the port.
The eight companies are members of Ghana Association of
Stevedoring Companies (GASCO).
Last Thursday, October 9, workers of the companies hoisted
red flags, wore red arm bands and chanted war songs to
register their protest against implementation of the
contract.
Mr Joseph Omega Arthur, Operations Manager of Dash Wood
Stevedore Company told journalists that as part of measures
by management of GPHA to decongest the port, private
stevedoring companies were given licences to operate from
2002.
He said as part of the requirements to acquire a licence,
the indigenous stevedoring entrepreneurs purchased container
handling equipments which cost over 550,000 dollars each
through loans they contracted from the banks.
Mr Arthur explained that between 2006 and 2007, management
of GPHA signed a contract with management of MPS that
mandated MPS to use berth one and two for its activities
while the rest including GPHA used berth three to 12.
He said management of GPHA however, told them on Thursday,
October 9, that "berth three to five has been added to the
berths allocated to MPS".
Mr Arthur pointed out that implementation of the contract
would collapse their activities since vessels containing
less than 50 containers rarely berth at the port.
He said management of MPS was already handling 50 per cent
of the container works at the port, while management of GPHA
handled about 25 per cent leaving only 25 per cent for the
other companies.
“We have no option than to lay off our 3,000 employees,” he
added.
Madam Josephine Nkrumah, Executive Secretary of GASCO
appealed to management of GPHA to suspend implementation of
the contract until a reply to a petition submitted to the
Office of the President in August this year, had been
received.
She noted that even though GASCO had informed management of
GPHA about the petition, it had refused to consider its
plea.
Mr Ben Owusu Mensah, Director General of GPHA however,
denied claims by GASCO and told Ghana News Agency that
members of GASCO did not give management of GPHA the
opportunity to explain.
“We called them to a meeting for explanation on the issue,
they walked out,” he said.
Mr Mensah said implementation of the contract had been
postponed to January 2009 to enable management of GPHA
institute some logistical measures including building
additional container terminal due to the increase of
containers passing through the port.
He explained that due to the shift from cargo shipping to
container shipping, Tema port received about 500,000
containers instead of the initial 120,000 containers.
Mr Mensah noted that management of MPS had the equipment and
capacity to receive vessels with 50 plus containers and from
January 2009, assume responsibility for container shore
handling operations which did not involve stevedoring
companies.
He gave the assurance that management of GPHA would renew
licences of stevedoring companies in January 2009, as a
normal practice adding, “nobody would throw them out of
business.”
GNA
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