Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority is responsible for the governance, maintenance and operation of the ports of Ghana and it owns Ghana’s two main ports, Takoradi and Tema built in 1928 and 1962 respectively.

GPHA is a Statutory Corporation operating under Provisional National Council Law (PNDCL 160) of 1986. GPHA is a merger of the erstwhile Ghana Ports Authority, Ghana Cargo Handling Company Limited and Takoradi Lighterage Company Limited. It is charged with the responsiblity of planning, building, managing, maintaining and operating the seaports of Ghana.

Mission

• To provide efficient port facilities and ensure quality services to customers.
• Present a pricing policy that seeks the mutual benefit of the Authority, operators and customers, as GPHA keeps them to keep GPHA in business.
• To recognize her workforce as the greatest asset and key to success in her pursuit to be the GATEWAY to the West African Sub-region
• To employ appropriate technologies and contribute towards a clean, healthy and safe marine environment.

The Authority has the following statutory functions: plan, building, manage, maintain, operate and control ports in Ghana. In particular it shall:

• Provide in a port such port facilities as appear to be necessary for the efficient and proper operation of the port;
• Maintain the port facilities, extend and enlarge any such facilities as it shall deem fit;
• Regulate the use of any port and of the port facilities;
• Maintain and deepen as necessary the approaches to, and the navigable waters within and outside the limits of any port, and also maintain lighthouses and beacons and other navigational service and aids as appear to it to be necessary;
• Provide facilities for the transport, storage, warehousing, loading, unloading and sorting of goods passing through any port, and operate road haulage services for hire or reward;
• Carry on all the business of stevedoring,, master porterage and lighterage services; and
• Generally discharge any other functions which are necessary or incidental to the foregoing:

Carry on such activities as it deems necessary for the discharge of its functions and it may in addition:

• Carry on the business of pilotage;
• Supervise stevedoring, lighterage and container services, where these are provided by persons other than the Authority;
• Operate tugs, dredgers and other craft for towerage, slavage, fire prevention and protection of life;
• Control the erection and use of wharves, stairs or stages in any port or its approaches;
• Enter into any agreement with any person: for supply, construction, manufacture, maintenance or repair by that person of any property which the Authority may require for the efficient  discharge of its functions under this Law; and for the operation or provision of any port facility which the Authority by this Law is empowered to operate or provide. Appoint, license and regulate stevedores, master porters to operate in the container terminals;
• Establish pilotage districts, direct that pilotage shall be compulsory in any such district, determine the pilot (including Authority pilots) to operate in such districts, license pilots for work in such districts and establish pilotage boards and specify their duties including the duty of inquiring into the conduct of pilots;
• Within such limits as may be fixed by the Secretary prescribe rates, charges and dues for service provided by the Authority or specify the persons laible to pay such rates, charges and dues prescribed under section 75 of this law.