The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has announced a series of urgent operational measures to address growing landside congestion at the Port of Tema, assuring stakeholders that efforts are underway to restore normal cargo flow and maintain efficient port operations. …
A major suspected narcotics trafficking operation was foiled on Wednesday night after police intercepted 866 parcels of substances suspected to be cocaine concealed in sacks of gari and konkonte and allegedly being prepared for export from the Tema Port enclave. …
… ection with the consignment. Sources close to the operation told Graphic Online’s Benjamin Xornam Glover that the suspects were picked up while supervising a group of men loading sacks of gari and ‘konkonte’ into a 40-foot container for export at a warehouse within the Tema Port …
… According to Nitidae, the difference is largely explained by an estimated 165,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts imported informally from Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso and subsequently exported through Ghana’s Tema Port. …
… It is a story about affordability, information, regulation, and trust in a market where the difference between a sound vehicle and a costly mistake can be difficult to see before the car reaches Tema Port. …
… He cited the successful partnership that transformed the Tema Port into one of the leading ports in West Africa as evidence of the President’s track record in maritime infrastructure development. …
… He said to strengthen oversight of the small-scale mining sector, 4,347 earth-moving and mining equipment units were registered at the Tema Port, while 1,864 tracking devices were installed on those equipment. …
… s expected to receive about eight more scanners, which will be deployed strategically to areas considered critical in the fight against narcotics trafficking. “I’m told that we are likely to get about eight of such scanners that will help us to place some of them at the Tema Port …
… The facility was aimed at integrating rail and lake transport, creating a seamless logistics corridor that connects the Tema Port to northern Ghana via the Volta Lake. …
Private legal practitioner Prof Kwame Gyan has cautioned prospective homeowners to conduct thorough checks on location, accessibility, flood risk, land dispute history, and ownership status before buying land, warning that seemingly attractive plots could expose buyers to flooding, litigation, and ownership disputes.
Private legal practitioner Prof Kwame Gyan has cautioned prospective homeowners to conduct thorough checks on location, accessibility, flood risk, land dispute history, and ownership status before buying land, warning that seemingly attractive plots could expose buyers to flooding, litigation, and ownership disputes.
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority has rejected claims that Tema Port congestion is driving recent cement price increases, stating that pricing depends on multiple supply-chain factors including vessel planning, trucking capacity, cargo handling, and inland transportation. The Authority noted that berth allocation is guided by safety considerations to separate cement operations from food cargo, and that recent dredging has allowed larger vessels to be received, urging manufacturers to adopt modern cargo-handling systems to improve efficiency.
Ghana's government is developing an integrated rail, inland water, and road transport system to decongest highways and the Port of Tema. The plan routes cargo by rail from Tema to Mpakadan, then by lake transport to Buipe, and finally by road to northern Ghana and landlocked neighbours including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
The Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority clarified that port congestion is not sufficient justification for a GH₵12 increase in cement prices, citing multiple operational and commercial factors. The authority noted it underwent strategic dredging of the port's bulk cargo section to benefit cement operations, and that cement companies were informed in advance about the project.
Container traffic at Ghana's Tema Port has surged to levels not seen in two decades, prompting the Transport Minister to direct removal of overstayed containers and encourage more vessel calls to evacuate empty containers. System outages at the Meridian Port Services Terminal have contributed to the congestion and cargo handling delays.
The Minister of Transport has launched measures to reduce container clearance delays at Tema Port through closer collaboration among inspection and processing agencies, aiming to lower demurrage costs for businesses and consumers and speed up cargo movement.
Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe has acknowledged persistent container congestion at Tema Port, attributing it partly to infrastructure not keeping pace with growing cargo volumes. He said government is considering upgrades to roads, harbour routes, and construction of additional berths to ease congestion.
Edward K. Osei, former Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Social Service and the Innovative Education Excellence Award 2026 by Socrates Social Research University in New Delhi, India on September 5, recognizing his career in international corporate law, higher education, and public service.
CUTS International has protested the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers' decision to impose a uniform GH¢12 per bag clinker demurrage surcharge, arguing that competing firms collectively agreeing on a common price element bears hallmarks of cartel conduct. The chamber says vessel waiting times at Tema Port have increased from seven days in January to 30–40 days in August 2026, creating estimated industry demurrage costs of US$45–50 million in the first eight months of the year.
CUTS International has raised competition and antitrust concerns over the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers, Ghana's decision to introduce a uniform GH¢12 per bag clinker demurrage surcharge, arguing that collective pricing by competitors bears hallmarks of cartel conduct, though it acknowledges the industry's right to recover legitimate costs caused by port congestion.
Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority increased net profit by 17.18 per cent to GH¢2.82 billion in 2025, with revenue rising 8.89 per cent to GH¢7.620 billion, driven by increased cargo services income and a GH¢1.531 billion profit contribution from Meridian Port Services.
Ghana's cement manufacturers have introduced a temporary GH¢12.00 per bag surcharge to offset extraordinary demurrage costs caused by severe congestion at Tema Port, where vessel waiting times have increased from an average of seven days in January 2026 to between 30 and more than 40 days in August 2026. The surcharge comprises GH¢10.00 before tax and GH¢2.00 in applicable taxes and levies, with manufacturers reporting industry-wide demurrage costs estimated at between US$45 million and US$50 million in the first eight months of the year.
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority recorded a net profit of GH¢2.82 billion in 2025, up 17.18 per cent from GH¢2.41 billion in 2024, with total revenue rising to GH¢7.620 billion, according to the 2025 State Ownership Report by SIGA.
The Ghana Leather and Footwear Manufacturers Association has petitioned Parliament to reduce import duties on raw materials and enforce tariffs strictly at Tema Port, warning it will take to the streets if the government fails to address high production costs that are forcing factories to close.
Cement manufacturers are introducing a "Clinker Demurrage Surcharge" of around GH¢12 per bag to offset operational losses from severe congestion at Tema Port. The industry estimates costs have reached US$45 to US$50 million this year, driven by extended waiting times that have stretched clinker clearance from seven days at the start of the year to 40 days, with daily vessel demurrage rates at approximately US$27,000 per day.
The Ghana Union of Traders' Associations has urged the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to urgently resolve congestion at the Port of Tema, caused by unstuffed empty containers not being discharged at shipping line depots and yards, which is increasing business costs and creating long truck queues.
The Ghana Union of Traders' Associations has warned that persistent congestion at the Port of Tema could undermine the government's 24-hour economy policy, citing severe business impact and increased costs. GUTA attributes the congestion to delays in discharging empty containers at shipping line depots and yards, with some drivers queuing for nearly a week.
The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has called on the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to convert selected private spaces at Tema Port into modern container-handling facilities to ease congestion and prevent rising business costs. The association suggests the GPHA consider not renewing selected private leases and instead develop those spaces into additional container terminals to complement existing facilities.
Maxwell Commey, CEO of Oro Oil Ghana Limited, has called for urgent action to address congestion, high logistics costs and weak inland connectivity at Tema Port, saying these challenges increase business costs, constrain trade and limit job creation. He argues that targeted infrastructure upgrades, digitalisation, stronger private-sector participation and better agency coordination could improve the efficiency of Ghana's logistics system.
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority Board Chairman said the GPHA has demonstrated resilience and strategic vision over four decades through infrastructure expansion, technological adoption and operational efficiency improvements, positioning Ghana's ports as critical gateways for trade and regional integration.
The Commissioner of Customs joined senior officials from GPHA, MPS, and other maritime and security agencies to address operational bottlenecks affecting container movement at Tema Port's MPS Terminal 3. Discussions focused on improving coordination, reducing congestion, and shortening cargo turnaround times.
President Mahama says the first 700 of 1,500 Saglemi housing units will be completed by March, with the remaining 800 ready by end of 2027; work will also begin on an additional 3,500 units to reach the originally planned 5,000 units.
Developer LMI Holdings has committed to completing the first 700 housing units of the revived Saglemi Housing Project by March 2027, with the full first phase of 1,500 units expected by December 2027. The project, originally a 5,000-unit affordable housing estate that stalled after a government change, is now being redeveloped through a private sector partnership.
The world's largest civilian hospital ship, Global Mercy, has arrived at the Port of Tema to undertake a 10-month medical mission in Ghana—the fifth field service by Mercy Ships in the country. The mission will provide between 1,950 and 2,600 free surgeries, 1,610 to 2,145 dental treatments, and training for 100 to 250 local healthcare professionals.
The Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority paid an official working visit to the Tema Collection to strengthen revenue mobilisation and improve operational efficiency at the country's major port. He commended officers for meeting recent revenue targets and urged them to sustain momentum and surpass the annual revenue target.
The 19.5-kilometre Tema Roundabout to Tetteh Quarshie Interchange project is about 50 per cent complete but behind schedule. Roads and Highways Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza has directed contractor Maripoma Enterprise Limited to intensify work by operating day and night, using the government's 24-hour economy policy to shift disruptive activities to nighttime and maintain daytime lanes for motorists.
Ghana's Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) uses artificial intelligence and pre-programmed valuation data to automate customs decisions, but the practice of overriding importers' documentary evidence raises legal questions about compliance with tax law, WTO valuation rules, and due process principles.
The Minister of Roads and Highways has tasked the contractor to accelerate work on the Tema Motorway project and complete it by 2027, suggesting round-the-clock work to reduce commuter delays on this key transport link between Tema Port and other parts of the country.
The Ghana Maritime Authority has urged stakeholders to implement proposals designed to reduce vessel delays and improve turnaround times at Tema Port, emphasizing the need for better coordination among port agencies and the establishment of a Maritime Single Window for electronic documentation processing.
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority has announced urgent operational measures to address landside congestion at the Port of Tema, citing increased import volumes, rising empty container exports, and road traffic challenges. The Authority is implementing interventions including accelerated empty container evacuation, strengthened transfer operations, additional trucks, and improved yard and traffic management in close collaboration with shipping lines and terminal operators.