The Chief Executive Officer of Oro Oil Ghana Limited, Maxwell Commey, has called for urgent and coordinated action to address congestion, high logistics costs and weak inland connectivity affecting Ghana’s ports, particularly the Tema Port.
In a statement issued on Saturday, August 29, Mr Commey said these challenges are increasing the cost of doing business, disrupting trade and limiting opportunities for job creation. He argued that targeted infrastructure upgrades, digitalisation, stronger private-sector participation and better coordination among agencies along the trade corridor could significantly improve the efficiency of Ghana’s logistics system.
“These issues are not abstract”
“Ghana’s ports, particularly Tema, continue to grapple with congestion, high logistics costs and weak inland connectivity,” Mr Commey said. “These issues are not abstract for exporters and logistics players. For agro-industrial firms such as Oro Oil Ghana, whose palm-oil and related operations depend on reliable, lower-cost movement of goods, they directly affect competitiveness, planning and job creation.”
He explained that rising trade volumes have placed increasing pressure on Tema’s landside operations, resulting in delays, yard congestion and higher costs for businesses and consumers. Congestion is being worsened by empty-container backlogs and heavy traffic around the port enclave, while poorly maintained access roads contribute to accidents, vehicle damage and higher operating costs for freight operators.
“Every delay becomes a cost. A missing document or a container that remains too long in the yard leads to additional charges that are passed on,” he said.
Roads as part of logistics infrastructure
Mr Commey therefore called for port access roads, particularly routes serving the Tema Harbour area, to be treated as an integral part of Ghana’s logistics infrastructure and prioritised for rehabilitation and capacity upgrades.
He also urged the government to align infrastructure investments with Ghana’s export and industrialisation ambitions. According to him, reliable and affordable logistics would benefit exporters of palm oil, cocoa, other agricultural products and manufactured goods by reducing demurrage and inventory costs while improving the predictability of supply chains. Such investments would also support job creation in logistics, trucking, cargo handling and related services.
“The way forward is system-wide and coordinated,” Mr Commey said. “Ghana should prioritise and fund integrated corridor projects that combine roads, rail and dry-port links, with clear maintenance regimes and public-private partnerships where appropriate.”
Call for digitalisation and coordination
Mr Commey further called for greater use of digital systems and increased private-sector participation in port operations and related services. He said coordination among the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority’s Customs Division, roads and highways authorities and private operators must be strengthened to improve information sharing and accountability.
He proposed that progress be measured through indicators such as reduced cargo dwell times, lower logistics costs, greater predictability for shippers and increased export volumes and job creation.
“From the practical perspective of an exporter whose operations depend on efficient freight movement, the payoff is straightforward: goods move at the right time and at lower cost,” he said. “Inputs reach factories and farms more reliably; exports reach markets more competitively.”
Ghana’s position as regional gateway
Mr Commey said fixing the country’s inland connectivity and road infrastructure would strengthen businesses and improve Ghana’s position as a regional trade gateway. “Ghana already has the ports and the trade ambition. Completing the inland connectivity and road pieces — transforming bottlenecks into reliable flow — is the decisive next step,” he said.
Background: Port challenges in focus
Mr Commey’s comments come amid growing concerns within the trade and logistics sector about the efficiency of Ghana’s ports. In recent months, shippers have decried delays in evacuating containers from the Meridian Port Services (MPS) Terminal 3 to inland container depots, which result in rent, demurrage and other time-related charges accruing at the expense of importers . The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has also called on the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to expand container handling capacity at Tema to address persistent congestion .
There have also been concerns about operational challenges at the MPS terminal, including scanning difficulties that delay cargo clearance . Additionally, the Logistics and transport sector has faced debates over proposed cargo-tracking systems that critics argue would add unnecessary costs to importers and consumers . Meanwhile, the transit trade regime has come under scrutiny, with the Office of the Special Prosecutor investigating the alleged diversion of palm oil containers declared as goods in transit to Burkina Faso . The case of Oro Oil Ghana, which is involved in palm-oil cultivation and processing, brings a private-sector perspective to these broader challenges.
About Oro Oil Ghana Limited
Oro Oil Ghana Limited is an integrated agro-industrial company focused on oil-palm cultivation and processing. The company says it is committed to operational excellence, international best practices, job creation and export growth.
