AUCTION UNCLAIMED CONTAINERS (PAGE 18, MARCH 6, 2010)

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Ghana has called on relevant agencies to gazette and auction all unclaimed containers at the Tema Port in order to generate revenue for the government
The institute observed with concern the loss of revenue, as hundreds of containers piled up at the Tema Harbour, with some having overstayed for well over three years carrying goods.
According to the CILT, by law, most of these containers should automatically become government property, and therefore called for prompt action to gazette and auction them to companies and the general public to ease cargo space in the port. It said this would make room for more cargoes, while generating more revenue for the government.
The institute noted that shipping lines could have their empty containers, which had been locked up for years, back for new businesses, while the terminal operators could also have their cargo space freed .
The National President of the CILT, Mr Cletus Kuzagbe, who was of the view that the revenue agencies were ‘sitting on gold’, made the remarks when a six-member committee of the Tema branch of the CILT was inducted into office to promote, encourage and co-ordinate the study and advancement of the science and art of transport industry.
Mr Kuzagbe stated that the fast rate of growth in the demand for transportation and its accompanying effect of increase in congestion, called for a proactive action to remove frustrations in the transport and logistic sector of the economy.
He has, therefore, called for the development of the inland water course and railway system to move freight efficiently and timely .
Mr Kuzagbe called on members to seize new opportunities to meet the emerging challenges in the global environment .
He emphasised the need to consider the potential for co-ordination in the transport modes in order to make significant contributions to the success of a growing and healthy economy .
Mr Kuzagbe said the cost involved as a result of delays, due to congestion, was enormous, and called for action to rectify the situation to make transportation of goods and services more effective and efficient .
He urged members of the institute to brace themselves with the right competencies in order to utilise the scarce resources entrusted to them and to plan the sector well to avoid losses, of which Ghana would be the final beneficiary .
Mr Kuzagbe appealed to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to find a lasting solution to the heavy traffic at the Tema Motorway, and also called on the Tema Metropolitan Assembly to relocate the lorry park on the main harbour road near the Mankoadze Roundabout .
He advised the newly elected executives of the institute to bring up interesting and educative topics on current and relevant issues that would be beneficial to their areas of operation .
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority , Mr Emmanuel Martey, called on the CILT to advise the relevant authorities on the logistical and transport issues on the discovery of commercial quantities of oil and gas resources in Ghana .
He explained that the discovery had generated tremendous excitement across the entire spectrum of the citizenry for investment, jobs and national opportunities.
Mr Martey called for increased consultation between the institute and the relevant government agencies and other industry stakeholders to help fashion out appropriate policy on issues affecting the transport and logistics sector in Ghana.
He said there was a strong linkage between oil and gas exploitation and transport, noting that logistics for oil and gas often involved the coastal movement of personnel and materials to and from the oil platforms , storage of machinery parts and structured execution of shipments .
This, Mr Martey, said they had imposed tremendous responsibilities on the institute to ensure greater benefits from the process.
The Chairman of the newly elected executive of the Tema branch of the CILT , Mr Adjei Sam Kumi of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), thanked members of the institute for the confidence reposed in them, and gave an assurance that they would work hard to uplift the image of the institute .
The executive was sworn in by the Deputy Chief Executive of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Mr Emmanuel Martey.