Mahama pledges thorough audit of Keta Port project

John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has announced plans to conduct a thorough audit of the Keta Port if elected.

This audit aims to evaluate the progress made under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and outline future steps for the port's development.

During a media interaction in Ho, part of his campaign tour in the Volta Region, Mahama underscored the significance of a comprehensive needs assessment prior to the establishment of a new port between the Tema Harbour and the Port of Lomé, both of which are key maritime hubs.

He stressed the importance of learning from the challenges faced by the Boankra inland port project to prevent the new initiative from becoming an underutilised "white elephant."

He said "We will prioritise it and once I become president, one of the first things I will ask for is the feasibility study of the Keta Port and once we have seen it, we will let the public see it and based on that, we can take it from there."

"If there must be a port there, there must be a specialised port for something because we have Tema and we have Lomé because if we have an intermediate port, is it going to handle the same cargo that Tema and Lomé are handling?" he asked.

However, over six companies have expressed interest and a desire to partner with the government in the construction and operation of the Keta Port project.

The Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Michael Luguje made this known in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM.

He said the private investors are both local and international firms and are keen to invest in the project.

He said they are waiting on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) environmental and social impact assessment report, which is critical for refining their proposals.