The Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has held a day’s seminar for journalists in Accra.
Organised under the theme, “Contemporary Trends and Developments in Ghana’s Shipping Industry, the event — is the sixth in a series of maritime seminars organised by GSA towards empowering media practitioners to improve their knowledge in current happenings within the trade and shipping sector.
In her welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of the GSA, Benonita Bismarck said the commitment of the GSA is to provide a platform for shippers and journalists alike to understand and appreciate the shipping industry.
She called for continuous collaboration between the GSA and the GJA in organising such seminars to whip up the interest of more journalists in the shipping sector.
“It is also my pleasure to commend the leadership of the GJA for their continuous cooperation with the Authority in organising these seminars over the years. We consider the media as a principal stakeholder in our quest to providing shipping solutions and accurate information to shippers. We shall continue to deepen our relationship with the media for our mutual benefit” madam Benonita added.
For his part, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Affail Monney, said the greatest need of a journalist is capacity building. He therefore commended the Shippers Authority for the initiative taken to sensitize journalists on operations within Ghana’s ports.
Mr Monney noted that the GJA will scale up capacity building for journalists in the country.
The Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover stressed on the importance of the maritime sector to Ghana’s development hence, the need for capacity building for journalists to equip them in their reportage on the maritime industry.
The Journalists were taken through the implementation of the paperless transaction in Ghana and its impact assessment on cargo clearance at the ports, the effects of demurrage on the cost of doing business at the port, improving trade facilitation via port expansion and efficiency and transit trade through Ghana’s corridor and its implication for the economy.
The 6th maritime seminar for journalists was held at the Ghana Shippers’ House in Accra.
STORY BY: HENRIETTA AFFUL.
