Government has despite the backlash, justified its decision to appoint a Director for the yet-to-be-built Keta Port in the Volta Region.
According to Deputy Transport Minister, Titus Glover, the appointee will serve as a link between major stakeholders to oversee the actual construction of the Port.
A private legal practitioner, Dr. Alexander Adusei Jr. has been named the Director for the Keta Port although the Volta Region town has no visible sign of a port; a move the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for the area, Richard Quarshigah, has described as one that is just to rob the public purse.
[contextly_sidebar id=”3mOwZz31dEn2WxnllX41rLyZeboV3xjT”]But, Mr. Glover insists the selection of the Director is necessary because of an existing expression of interest by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) adding that, it is only fair to have a caretaker whose supervision will be more helpful than the financial implications.
“GPHA has come up with an expression of interest for people who want to partner government to put up the port. So we have opened it up, so anyone who is interested in constructing the Keta Port is welcomed. Government cannot work alone without working with the people of Keta.”
“What the gentleman is basically going to do is to engage, be a liaison, a contact person, a supervisor, between government, our agency the GPHA and the town. We need someone who will do that liaison work on behalf of government. That is why we have engaged this gentleman. The work that he is going to do will be more beneficial than the cost. I don’t think this is much of a problem because he is going to assist us”, he said on Eyewitness News.
‘Horrendous’ Keta Port Director appointment must be reversed – MP
The Member of Parliament for Keta, Richard Quarshigah, had described the appointment of a director for the non-existent port as financial loss to the state.
He called on the President to “reverse the horrendous decision of an appointment.”
“This appointment is unnecessary and a rape of the resources of the GPHA and for that matter, the Ghanaian taxpayer. A seaport does not exist in Keta today for which a director is required. In fact, it could be seen as an attempt to ridicule and mock the people of the area.”
“So to appoint a Director for non-existing seaport at Keta with full status as director of Tema and Takoradi is not only preposterous, infuriating but attempts to cause wilful financial loss to the state,” Mr Quarshigah said.
He likened the appointment to the “Ghana Education Service posting a head teacher to a community where indeed there is no school, no teachers and for that matter no students or pupils.”
The appointment
Dr. Alexander Adusei Jr. appointment letter, which was dated March 11, 2019, informed the board chairman of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, asking him to give effect to the appointment in accordance with section 8 (5) of the GPHA Act.
President Nana Akufo-Addo signed an Executive Instrument declaring the coastline at Keta as land designated for a seaport.
The proposed Keta Port is expected to be built around the Volta Lake in the town of Kedzi in the Keta municipality.
The seaport would add to two existing one, Takoradi in the Western region and Tema in the Greater Accra region.
–
By: Nii Larte Lartey | citinewsroom.com | Ghana | [email protected]
