Deusdedit Kakoko, TPA Director General, said the new system called port operating system (POS) will enable TPA, among other things, to communicate directly with importers as well as shippers in order to reduce the possibility of dishonest clearing and forwarding agents to overcharge the unsuspecting traders.
He added: “With this new system there will be no possibility that a clearing and forwarding agent might cheat about the manifest of the cargo.”
Kakoko said TPA expected an injection of 690 million U.S. dollars in the form of soft loans and grants from the World Bank, Trade Mark East Africa and the British Department for International Development (DFID), which will be used to implement at least 13 projects at the port.
He said part of the money will be used to improve information and communication technology (ICT) systems in order to improve efficient in cargo handling.
“We are also going to introduce e-payment system which will be integrated with other modern ICT systems which will greatly reduce cheating and corruption,” he said.
Kakoko said the loans and grants will also be used to construct a new berth and yard for handling of vehicles at the port, dredging at berths one to 11 to increase depth to enable bigger ships to dock without problems. Enditem
Source: Xinhua/News Ghana
