The proposed Port of Keta has attracted interest from 42 local and international entities seeking to participate in its development, as Ghana moves the project from planning into investor engagement following environmental approval.
The Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Major General Paul Seidu-Tenye Kulono, disclosed that the strong investor response comes immediately after the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) granted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate for the project.
The approval clears a major regulatory hurdle and opens the door for formal investor selection and due diligence processes.
Presenting the EPA certificate to the Overlord of the Anlo State, Togbui Sri III, Major General Kulono said investor appetite for the project has exceeded expectations, although GPHA intends to apply strict screening measures before selecting development partners.
“We have received as many as 42 companies that have expressed interest to come and develop the port,” he revealed.
According to him, interest alone will not determine selection.
“A lot of people will come. When you open the books and they see the scope of work, most of them will run away. But some of the names that have come up are credible names that we are sure that we will work with,” he stated.
He explained that over the next three months, GPHA will assess proposals and narrow the field to four preferred bidders before conducting financial, technical and governance due diligence.
The GPHA Director-General also disclosed progress on supporting infrastructure, announcing that the project headquarters currently under construction is expected to become operational by January 2027 after adjustments to the original scope.
Beyond construction, he projected significant economic activity around the port corridor.
“During the construction phase, a lot of businesses will come up carpenters, masons, all kinds of trade,” he said.
The Keta Port is expected to support transit trade for landlocked neighbours including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger through integration with the Eastern Corridor and planned rail infrastructure.
Major General Kulono said the project would also be designed to minimise environmental impact through controlled dredging and other mitigation measures identified under the EPA assessment.
