The government has announced plans to ease congestion at the Tema Port and reduce additional costs incurred by cement manufacturers due to delays in the berthing and discharge of vessels carrying clinker.
The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, disclosed this during an inspection of the Tema Port on Friday, September 11, 2026, alongside the Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe.
The visit was aimed at assessing challenges surrounding the berthing of vessels carrying clinker, a key raw material for cement production, amid concerns that delays at the port were increasing demurrage costs for manufacturers.
According to the Trade Minister, the government recognises the impact of port-related delays on businesses and is engaging industry players to identify practical measures to improve operations and reduce the cost of doing business.
She said the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), through the Ministry of Transport, had agreed to dredge an additional berth at the Tema Port to allow larger vessels to berth.
The intervention, she said, is expected to speed up the discharge of clinker, improve port efficiency and ease some of the cost pressures facing cement manufacturers.
“We will continue to collaborate with industry to find lasting solutions to challenges affecting productivity and competitiveness,” she said.
Ms Ofosu-Adjare further assured the business community that the government, under President John Dramani Mahama, remained committed to creating a conducive environment for private sector growth and national development.
She said cement manufacturers play an important role in Ghana’s industrial development and stressed that government would continue to work with them to address challenges associated with the handling of clinker and other raw materials at the port.
However, the Minister also put the cement manufacturers on notice, urging them to reciprocate the government’s efforts by avoiding arbitrary increases in cement prices.
She said maintaining affordable cement prices was important to protecting consumers and supporting broader economic activity.
The government’s intervention comes as port delays and associated demurrage charges add to the operational costs of cement manufacturers, potentially putting further pressure on the price of cement on the domestic market.
