National AfCFTA coordination office keen on working with GPHA

A delegation from the National AfCFTA Coordination Office, led by its head, Dr. Fareed Kwesi Arthur has paid a working visit to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

The visit was a step towards fostering the needed relationship between the two entities towards the national objectives within the Continental Free Trade Area.

The Head of the National AfCFTA Coordination Office, Dr. Fareed Kwesi Arthur underscored the significant role GPHA, and by extension the maritime and shipping industry plays for Ghana’s AfCFTA aspirations.

Dr. Fareed Kwesi Arthur said, “you play a very important role in trade facilitation to enhance the movement of goods and services through the border posts, transit, etc. Also, we have trade infrastructure where you also feature prominently ensuring that the appropriate infrastructural setup including ports, roads and aviation are in place for movement of goods and services across the continent.”

He revealed some of the initiatives his outfit will embark on as it plays a pivotal role in coordinating the affairs of the various key stakeholders driving Ghana’s trade with the rest of Africa.

“Since we came on board one of the things, we have been doing is holding several sensitization sessions. We have had two national conferences and we are planning to hold the third on the 9^th & 10^th of May. Last two years we also undertook a nationwide tour of all the 15 regions outside Accra where we had workshops and sensitization sessions.”

The General Manager in charge of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at GPHA, Esther Gyebi-Donkor explained that the Port Authority is very keen on regional integration and as such has made decisions and investments towards that direction.

Mrs. Gyebi-Donkor said, “GPHA is very sensitive to these special trades, for example the transit trade is a key factor within the AfCFTA. We have already embraced the fact that we need to grow that trade and all along GPHA has been pushing this agenda. We have also looked at the coastal traffic, and in our tariffs, we have made different provisions for them lower than the normal traffic.”

The Director General of GPHA, Michael Luguje indicated that the Authority is ready to partner the National AfCFTA Coordinating Office, to realize its goals.