President John Dramani Mahama has reflected on the transformation of the Takoradi Port since the commencement of its expansion in 2012, describing the facility as an increasingly important centre for Ghana’s import and export activities.
He said the port had evolved significantly from its original colonial-era purpose of exporting raw materials to foreign processing centres into a modern maritime facility supporting multiple sectors of the economy.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the $98.41 million Berth 19 facility and the $137 million floating dry dock project at the Takoradi port, President Mahama recalled that he personally broke ground for the expansion of the Takoradi Port in 2012.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress made since then, noting that the port now handles significantly higher cargo volumes and has greater operational capacity.
“When Takoradi was built in the colonial period, it was just meant for extraction, for taking timber, cocoa, bauxite, manganese and things, you know, out to processing factories in other locations. Today, it is both an import port and an export port,” he stated.
The President explained that the port’s development had introduced specialised facilities to support container operations, the oil and gas industry and dry bulk cargo handling.
He said the expanded container terminal, operated by Atlantic Services, had strengthened the port’s capacity to support international trade.
He further noted that the oil and gas services terminal had enhanced the port’s contribution to Ghana’s petroleum industry, while the dry bulk terminal continued to play an important role in mineral exports and the importation of clinker for cement manufacturing.
President Mahama said the construction of Berth 19 had become necessary because of increasing demand and capacity constraints at the dry bulk terminal.
The new $98.41 million facility, measuring 300 metres in length and designed to accommodate vessels of up to 75,000 deadweight tonnes, is expected to significantly improve bulk cargo handling.
He also highlighted the dredging of the port from approximately eight metres to 16 metres, allowing larger vessels to access the facility.
The President said the ongoing investments demonstrated the government’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s maritime infrastructure and improving the country’s competitiveness in international trade.
He expressed optimism that the new investments would further increase the port’s revenue-generating capacity and support economic growth.
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Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️) Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭