After the GPHA Local Unions ended a two-day strike, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) declared that vessel activity have resumed at the Tema Port.
The employees went on strike in support of their demand that Meridian Port Services (MPS) cease shipping 20 percent of its shipments in containers to the GPHA.
The GPHA reported that between 0:00 and 12:00, eleven boats sailed and berthed at the Port, according to a statement released and signed by Mrs. Esther Gyebi-Donkor, General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Affairs.
In the statement, Management apologised to all parties involved, including shipping lines, importers and exporters, freight forwarders, transporters, and transit, and expressed sorrow for the delay at vessel operations in the port. Partners, affirming its commitment to keep providing effective services to its valued stakeholders in a secure environment.
It said that the Director General and Management met with MPS on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, to discuss the 20 percent containerize cargo problem. Following that meeting, Management made a call to the Unions to end the strike, promising that a solution would be reached by Thursday, July 14, 2022.
"After a crunch meeting on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, comprising the Minister for Transportation, a Deputy Minister for Transportation, the Board Chairman, the Director-General, the Director of Port of Tema, and the Chief Executive Officer of MPS," the statement said.
"A letter was published under the signature of MPS CEO Mohammed Samara stating MPS's willingness to surrender the management of the 20% gateway container traffic to GPHA for two years beginning on 1 August 2022."
In a statement on the matter, Management explained that the 20 percent container traffic share for GPHA was not included in the first concession agreement between MPS and GPHA, which was inked in 2015.
"The 2015 arrangement permitted MPS to handle all container traffic on an exclusive basis. However, a request for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to get involved resulted in a Cabinet decision in 2019 for MPS to provide GPHA a 20% share of container traffic.
The Management of GPHA and MPS had undertaken multiple meetings and negotiations to iron out the technical and budgetary specifics required for execution after the Cabinet's decision, it was said.