Local unions of the Ghana Port and Harbour Authority (GPHA) say they intend to demonstrate against the Meridian Port Service (MPS) and GPHA concession agreement, which was signed in 2015 and the impact it was having on the workforce, and the country as a whole.
The Union Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Arhin Young, told journalists that the Maritime Dockworkers Union, which was not happy with the way the content of the agreement, petitioned the Presidency over the issue.
Cabinet, after deliberation on the petition, according to Young, directed the sector Minister,   Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, to engage both parties (MPS-GPHA) to ensure that the demands of the GPHA were adhered to by MPS.
These demands are: (A) GRA compliance to remove all refrigerated containerised cargo volumes from MPS to GPHA Reefer Terminal, (B) GPHA to implement its intention of leasing Harbour Mobile Cranes for its containerised vessel operations, (C) GPHA be allowed to handle 20% of containerized cargo traffic during the ten year exclusivity period.
Mr. Arhin regretted that though these directives have been duly communicated to MPS with several reminders, the latter has still failed to adhere to the directive of cabinet especially on the 20% container volumes since 2019.
The MPS non-adherence, which he attributed to the inaction of the Sector Minister, Kweku Ofori Asaimah, necessitated the local unions to engage both management of the GPHA and the sector Minister.
Mr. Arhin Young said the local unions viewed this as gross disrespect by MPS to Cabinet, and by extension the President, for disregarding his Cabinet-led directive over this period.
To Mr. Arhin this situation is unacceptable because of its daring consequences, which is currently impacting negatively on the entire workforce and financial sustenance of the organization in general.
According to the Union leader, they now have no option than to embark on a massive demonstration in the coming days to ensure that MPS implement the directives of cabinet and by extension the president.
