The Director of the Port of Keta, Dr. Alexander Adusei, has emphasized that he was appointed by the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo to ensure that from the onset of the Keta Port project, a designated director in high office takes charge of all negotiations, monitoring and the day-to-day decisions in order to bring about that massive port project into full realization.
“You need a director who will work with technicians and engineers from GPHA to ensure the purpose of the construction. Exactly what is in the masterplan of GPHA based on the economics evaluated is what is being developed and nothing else,” he expressed.
Speaking on Eye on Port on the journey so far regarding the Port of Keta, Dr. Adusei said, he has been leading the planning and developmental stages of the port processes and feasibility studies are already ongoing by international consultants which is expected to be completed by February 2021.
Dr. Adusei Jr. explained that for a successful realization of the Port project, the designation of an officer in his capacity is crucial in ensuring all appropriate administrative and technical processes are duly implemented to create a solid foundation for the construction of a world class Keta Port that meets the president’s vision as well as the masterplan of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.
“You need a director to start the whole thinking process to bring that port into fruition. The director with his team will be able to develop what is perfect for the area designated,” he said.
Addressing concerns that his position could have been handled by already employed officials at GPHA, he explained that those officials also have their pre-existing primary responsibilities and therefore would not have been able to fully dedicate to the development of a new port due to the magnitude of the task at hand, hence his appointment.
“Even if you assign someone from GPHA for this function, remember that person already has a job responsibility that is required to be performed and yet your expectation is that that same person has to be able to do the due diligence needed for this greenfield project on a daily basis,” Dr. Adusei Jnr. argued.
Dr. Alexander Yaw Adusei Jr reminded the public that current status of the Keta Port Project is at its planning and development stages.
He encouraged the general public to appreciate the gradual processes leading up to a port project citing many instances where it took years to construct a Port Infrastructure and more so when it comes to constructing a greenfield project like the Keta Port.
“When we wanted to do Terminal 3, Tema Port was in existence and there was a masterplan. Even with that, agreement was signed in 2012, but proper construction started in 2015 and phase 1 of that project was completed in 2020,” he cited.
The Director of the Keta Port also called for Ghanaians to move away from politicizing the Keta Port project since it’s been the agenda of successive governments since independence.
He solicited the support of all relevant stakeholders, investors, entrepreneurs to collaborate with his office for the successful building of a world class Keta Port, which has been long overdue and which the current government hopes to fulfil as a promise to the good people of Ghana.
Dr. Alexander Adusei however assured of his best to ensure the vision of the President, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, and the dreams of the people of Keta, Volta Region, and Ghanaians at large, are actualized through the construction of the Port of Keta.
