Ghana's vast coastline and extensive inland waterways can become the engine of a new era of African trade, if the government can fully leverage these assets to unlock the true potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Convenor of the OneGhana Movement, Senyo Hosi, has said.
He explained that the current prohibitive costs of intra-African shipping, where transporting a 20-foot container from Tema to Abidjan was more than $3 per nautical mile, significantly more expensive than the $0.24 per nautical mile to Houston, were a major disconnect that needed urgent attention.
Maritime leadership forum
Speaking at a Maritime Leadership and Innovation Day event in Accra last weekend, Mr Hosi stressed that for AfCFTA to succeed, intra-African shipping corridors linking Ghana to Abidjan, Dakar to Lagos and Mombasa to Maputo must be activated not just in theory but with tangible vessel schedules, competitive freight rates and increased cargo volumes.
The event, organised by maritime law expert Joyce Bawah Mogtari, in partnership with the Alumni of the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) of Malta, aimed to foster strategic dialogue and regional collaboration.
On the theme: "Charting New Waters: Legal, Blue Economy and Maritime Futures for West Africa," discussions covered integrated transport systems, legal innovations, sustainable blue economy strategies, digitalisation, and gender diversity in transport.
The event also had in attendance the High Commissioner of Malta to Ghana, Jean Claude Galea Mallia, the Regional Representative of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Capt. Dallas Laryea, and some members of the diplomatic corps.
Modernisation
Mr Hosi outlined a two-fold mission for Ghana domestically, to reduce urban congestion, lower transportation costs, and invest in green and efficient systems; and regionally, to lead West Africa's maritime integration by bridging landlocked neighbours to global markets.
He envisioned Accra as a vibrant trade hub, facilitating the easy export of Ivorian cocoa through Ghanaian ports and enabling Ghanaian logistics firms to compete continent-wide, all powered by marine transportation.
“The maritime sector's economic significance is substantial, with transportation accounting for 12 per cent of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), thus modernisation could bring about numerous benefits, including new jobs for electric vehicle technicians, marine engineers and supply chain experts,” he stated.
Government
The Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, acknowledged Ghana's strategic regional position as a huge opportunity to be the gateway in terms of trade, and affirmed the country's intent to lead the sub-region's maritime industry.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Meridian Port Services (MPS), Mohammed Samara, said that since its operation in 2019, Terminal Three had opened new trade routes for Ghana, with aspirations to make Tema Port a regional trans-shipment centre, adding that AfCFTA provided numerous opportunities to enhance trade and production.
Global recognition
A former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Dr Kofi Mbiah, also said the country's selection by the United Nations Global Compact Ocean Centres to establish Ocean Centres focused on Ports and Shipping, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Blue Finance & Investment, and Offshore Renewable Energy, fostering public and private sector partnerships for sustainability.
The Executive Secretary of the Centre for Blue Economy Africa (CBEA), Yorm Ama Abledu, who spoke on behalf of the Convenor, Mrs Bawah Mogtari, underscored the event's importance in advocating the maritime space to become a frontier for innovation.
She highlighted the necessity of digitalisation in ports, resilient infrastructure, and the adoption of climate-smart governance to drive Africa’s transformation.
“Ghana's maritime sector stands at a pivotal moment, poised to significantly contribute to the nation's economic growth and regional integration within the AfCFTA framework,” Ms Abledu said.
