A high-level delegation from Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, led by Minister Princess Dugba, on Friday 11 September completed a technical and familiarisation tour of the Tema Port facilities in Ghana.
The visit followed a courtesy call on Ghana’s Minister of Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe. Welcoming the Sierra Leonean team, Minister Nikpe expressed delight at receiving his colleague and noted that such engagements allow both countries to learn from each other and adopt best practices.
He pledged his ministry’s full support for a successful visit, stressing that Africans must support one another in addressing shared challenges.
Minister Dugba thanked the Ghanaian side for the warm reception and explained the purpose of the trip. She said the team had come to study the development and management of Ghana’s ports so that key lessons could be applied to Sierra Leone’s own port projects.
Sierra Leone is developing a US$55 million industrial fishing port, funded by a grant from the Chinese government and scheduled for completion within the next two years.
The project will include a jetty, marine house, waste-management facilities and a fish market. Once operational, the port is expected to help Sierra Leone harness the blue economy, create jobs and reduce post-harvest losses in the fisheries sector.
“Ghana has operated its port facilities for many years. This visit will help us identify areas for technical cooperation and knowledge sharing,” Minister Dugba said.
The Sierra Leonean delegation included Deputy Minister of Fisheries Ahmed Saybom Kanu and the ministry’s Director and professional head, Sheku Sei.
After the courtesy call, the team held a brief meeting with Ghana’s Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare; the Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Major General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono; and Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba. The group then toured Tema Port, focusing on port upgrading, cargo handling and sustainable fisheries logistics.
