The government is committed to protecting the rights and livelihoods of the people during and after the Keta Port construction, the Board Chair of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has assured.
According to him, “The Keta Port is not just about ships and cargo, it’s about people — the people of Keta, Ketu, Anlo, the Volta Region and Ghana. It’s about sustainable transformation rooted in equity and shared prosperity.”
Mr Asiedu Nketia, who is also the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said the local communities must not only benefit equitably from the opportunities the port would create, but every step would also be taken to ensure that the project adheres strictly to national and international environmental standards.
He gave this assurance at a public hearing on the proposed Keta Port project on Thursday at Keta in the Volta Region.
The large gathering, which included traditional authorities, past and current Members of Parliament, Municipal and District Chief Executives, and Assembly members from Ketu South, Keta and Anlo, sought to adequately sensitise the communities to the environmental and socio-economic impact assessment of the project.
The public hearing, organised by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the GPHA, also offered a platform for the people to ask questions that concerned them during and after the construction of the port.
The project, to be executed in three phases, will involve the resettlement of some affected communities, dredging of both the lagoon and the sea, reclamation activities, and construction of docks, berths and terminals, a fishing harbour, cold stores and processing areas, servicing and oil farms, as well as the relocation of affected heritage sites and some educational institutions within Agavedzi, Agortha Kedzi, Blekusu, Horvi, and parts of Vodza.
The Director-General of GPHA, Brigadier-General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, in a speech read on his behalf, said the collective journey towards realising one of Ghana’s most transformative infrastructural initiatives was envisioned not merely as a port but as an anchor for sustainable economic growth, regional integration, and community development in the Volta Region and beyond.
The GPHA, he explained, under the guidance of the Ministry of Transport, had carefully advanced the planning and preparatory stages of the project, adding that “they have conducted technical, environmental, and socio-economic assessments to ensure that the project aligns with international standards and national development priorities.”
The Director-General noted that the public hearing, in collaboration with the EPA, underscored transparency, inclusivity, and environmental stewardship, because such large-scale infrastructure projects came with significant environmental and social implications.
The Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, in her address, said the Authority initiated the public hearing pursuant to Act 2025 (Act 1124) of Act 29, which stipulates that it undertakes a public hearing when a project has far-reaching effects resulting in involuntary settlements that could result in adverse public reactions, among others.
The Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, assured of close collaboration with traditional authorities, the assemblies, and the communities to ensure the smooth implementation of the project.
Questions raised by the public included the dates for the actual implementation of the project, issues of resettlement, creation of other access routes to transport construction materials instead of using the Sogakope Bridge, as well as training of the youth for the construction.
FROM LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU, KETA
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