MARITIME AND DOCKWORKERS UNION OF THE TRADES UNION CONGRESS

DEMAND FOR 20 PERCENT CONTAINERISED CARGO TO GPHA

On Tuesday, 12 July, 2022, the workers of the Ghana Ports and Harbours
Authority commenced an industrial action at the Port of Tema. The action
involved cessation of sailing and berthing of vessels at the Port. This simply
imply that no vessel is allowed to berth or sail at the port.

The action has been necessitated by the refusal of the Meridian Port Service
(MPS), to hand over “20 percent of the containerized cargo to GPHA during the
exclusivity period of ten (10) years…” as directed by Cabinet in 2019. The
union is demanding that the cabinet directive is complied with immediately with
the signing of the necessary agreements to hand over 20 percent container
business to GPHA. The action is also to stop the current attempts to hand over
the reefer container at the PORT back to MPS.

The industrial action will enter its third day tomorrow, 14th July, 2022 after
which the union will escalate the action.

The union has however, picked up credible intelligence that the Government is
planning to use the security agencies to disrupt the action. We remind
government that any such security intervention will not be in the interests of the
country. It will be action in support of a foreign entity (MPS) that is fleecing the
country at a time when Ghana needs every revenue it justifiably can mobilized.

The union is fully prepared for the intended interventions. We will not back
down today or tomorrow until our demands are met and GPHA is in charge of
the 20 percent containerized cargo at the Port of Tema.

[SIGNED]
ERIC OFOSU
FOR: MARITIME AND DOCKWORKERS UNION
ACCRA, 13 JULY 2022
0244161281/0240211178