Ghana is embarking on a major project to reclaim land from the sea in Takoradi, a city in the Western Region. The project, which is expected to start next year, will cost between $35 million and $100 million, depending on the size of the land to be reclaimed. The reclaimed land will be used for the construction of large-scale warehouses and other facilities for cargo storage.
The project is part of the government’s initiative to make Ghana’s ports the hub of cargo transit in the sub-region. It will also enhance the competitiveness of Takoradi port, which faces stiff competition from Lome in Togo and Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire. The project will benefit shippers who use Ghana’s ports as transit points to landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
The Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Michael Luguje, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic after a working visit to the Philadelphia Port in Pennsylvania, USA. He said that investors had expressed interest in the project and that the port authority looked at how much it could contribute to the initiative.
He also said that the GPHA had researched the pricing and tariffs of the ports in the sub-region. Ghana was slightly higher than Lome regarding ship-related charges but more competitive than Abidjan. He said that Lome was more expensive than Ghana regarding cargo-related charges, that these findings had guided the GPHA in many directions, and that all would be done to ensure Ghana’s port attractiveness.
Land reclamation from the sea is not a new phenomenon in Africa. Several countries have undertaken such projects for various purposes, such as urban development, tourism, agriculture, and environmental protection. For instance, Nigeria has been building Eko Atlantic, a new city on reclaimed land from the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos. The city is expected to accommodate 250,000 residents and 150,000 commuters. However, some critics have raised concerns about such projects’ environmental and social impacts.
Land reclamation from the sea poses challenges, such as technical difficulties, high costs, legal issues, and potential conflicts with neighboring countries. Therefore, such projects require careful planning, consultation, and stakeholder cooperation.
The project in Takoradi is a bold step by Ghana to harness its maritime potential and boost its economy. It also signifies the country’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for private sector growth and trade facilitation. If successful, the project will transform Takoradi port and improve the lives of many Ghanaians.
Source: Graphic Online
