GPHA Outdoors New Uniform

A section of the security personnel The Acting Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Mr. Nestor P. Galley, has called on personnel of the security department of GPHA to maintain a conducive security environment in order to promote trade through the country's ports.

Mr. Galley, who was addressing the security department of GPHA at the outdooring of its new camouflage uniform, remarked that their professionalism must show especially when dealing with ships and their crew who call at the ports, taking cognizance of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code which came into force on July 1, 2004 and which Ghana has adopted and implemented at the ports.

“Good security in our ports is one of the major determinants for use of the ports as trans-shipment hub and therefore I urge you not only be smart in your turn-out but must also perform your functions well so that we can win the confidence of port users in our drive to become the maritime hub in the sub-region,” he stated.

Mr. Galley observed that their performance showed how far the Security Department had been transformed from the old days of bow and arrow watchmen into a professional unit of young, energetic and dedicated men and women who are ready to ensure at all times that maximum security was provided for all vessels, cargo and customers of the port.

He hoped they would always show strength and vigilance as well as dependability as stated in the motto of the Security Department, adding that they must carry out their duties in a firm and fair manner, and be courteous to the ports customers.

The Acting Director General charged them to make sure that all criminals, real and imaginary, were weeded out from the port environment to make the place safe for genuine commercial activity to thrive.

Concluding, he urged them to respect themselves, their careers and the Authority, and noted that to be dependable, there was the need to for them to be disciplined.

For his part, the National Security Port Coordinator for Tema, Lt Col Ben Agudogo (Rtd), urged the security personnel to always maintain the high standard the Department had always held.

He said it was evidently clear that security of the port had greatly improved in recent times, and attributed it to the invaluable contributions of the Department led by the indefatigable security manager, Col Musah.

He observed that if the usual losses and leakages at the country's ports could be stopped, revenue generated there could prevent the country from sourcing for funds from external sources to undertake development projects.

“The security of the Ports should of concern to all of us,” Lt Col Agudogo stated.

He commended management for the provision of Close Circuit Television (CCTC) to monitor vehicular and human activities around the port, the GCNet system for monitoring of transaction by all stakeholders in order to minimize the numerous threats to revenue mobilisation and the Automatic Identification System (AIS) for tracking vessels' movements and transit goods.

Lt Col Agudogo mentioned the scanning system to reveal abnormal cargoes, the port's fully compliance with the International Shipping and Ports Security (ISPS) standard and the physically presence of security personnel providing security to supplement the electronic measures as some of the structures put in place to ensure that the ports are devoid of problems which might scare prospective customers.

He told security personnel and the gathering at the function that the outdooring of the new camouflage uniforms was one of management's efforts to increase security by boosting the morale and confidence of security personnel, and urged them to reciprocate the kind gesture by performing their duties very well.

Later in an interview with DAILY GUIDE , Col Musah Whajah, Port Security Manager of Tema, said that the newly outdoored uniform was not to replace the existing one but rather to prolong and complement it.

He explained that the new uniform, which would be worn twice every month – in the first and last weeks of every month - would also be used on special occasions like May Day and the Independence March.

Col Musah continued that his outfit had always worked and would continue to work with other security agencies working in the port so as to achieve the aim for which the department was set up.

From Razak Mardorgyz Abubakar, Tema