The writer
Introduction
The 2026 State of the Nation Address, delivered on 28 February 2026, provided a constitutionally grounded platform for President John Dramani Mahama to outline national priorities under Article 69 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which empowers the President to present proposals, reports, and directives to Parliament on matters of national governance and strategic development.
In his address to the good people of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, the president of the Republic, announced that the Cabinet had reviewed the feasibility study and designs for the proposed Port of Keta, and directed the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to submit an action plan and roadmap for its expeditious realisation.
This positions the Keta Port project to transition from concept validation into execution planning and implementation, signalling high-level strategic commitment. Among several forward-looking proposals, the Keta Port stands out for me, a native of Atiavi/ Netsime/Asadame, as a transformative infrastructure project with the potential to diversify Ghana’s coastal economic base and strengthen the blue economy and the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources for growth, jobs, and improved livelihoods for the youth who hail from the region and beyond.
Economic and Strategic Significance
Strategically located along Ghana’s eastern coast near the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site, the port is designed to complement existing facilities at Tema Port while unlocking new opportunities for trade, logistics, and industrial development. Its deepwater design will enable it to handle containerised, bulk, and general cargo, which is vital for both domestic hinterland distribution and regional commerce.
Ports as economic multipliers.
Research shows that every direct port job in operations, logistics, and terminal handling can generate 3–5 indirect jobs in transport, warehousing, services, and manufacturing.
International benchmarking
At the Port of Mombasa, port-related economic activities contribute roughly 2–3% of national GDP and support over 100,000 jobs. In South Africa, the Port of Durban contributes nearly 5% of the regional GDP when supply chain linkages are included. If the Keta Port achieves similar efficiency, even an initial Phase 1 handling 500,000 TEUs annually would translate to ~7 million tons of cargo per year, supporting 20,000–30,000 direct and indirect jobs and generating a measurable GDP contribution of 1–2%.
This illustrates the tangible economic significance of the port, beyond abstract container metrics. Strategically, the Keta Port is also positioned to enhance regional trade integration, particularly along the Togo–Ghana corridor. In contrast to Port of Lomé, which serves as a regional transshipment hub, Keta’s value proposition lies in its combination of industrial linkages, hinterland logistics, and integrated multimodal access, creating a complementary rather than duplicative role in West Africa’s maritime landscape.
Implementation Roadmap, Financing, and Institutional Responsibilities
With the Cabinet’s endorsement, the next step is for GPHA to prepare a detailed action plan and implementation roadmap. This plan will guide the project through phased development, including design verification, procurement, construction, commissioning, and eventual port operations.
Implementation Phased Approach
- Phase 1: Engineering verification, environmental compliance updates, and stakeholder engagement.
- Phase 2: Procurement of contractors, dredging works, breakwater, and quay construction.
- Phase 3: Terminal equipment installation, connectivity integration, and pilot operations.
Financing Strategy Large ports require substantial capital, estimated between US$1 billion and US$2.5 billion, depending on scale. GPHA is expected to explore: Public–Private Partnerships (PPP) Concession Models with experienced port operators; Multilateral financing from the World Bank, African Development Bank, and export credit agencies; and multilateral climate finance institutions. A clearly defined financing plan will be essential to ensure bankability and investor confidence.
ADVISORY NOTE: Institutional Leadership
While GPHA is the technical lead, ministry-level oversight is essential. A hybrid approach with the Ministry of Transport providing policy guidance ensures alignment with national infrastructure, industrialisation, and blue economy priorities. Supporting agencies include the Ministry of Finance for funding and budget approvals; the Ministry of Environment for EIA compliance and ecological safeguards; and the Ministry of Trade & Industry for industrial integration and regional trade. This hybrid institutional model balances technical execution with strategic governance, reflecting international best practices.
Environmental Sustainability and Climate Resilience
From inception, the port should be designed as a low-carbon, climate-adaptive facility that does not disrupt the ecological integrity of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site, one of West Africa’s most important coastal wetland systems.
- Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Design
Keta’s coastline is vulnerable to sea-level rise, storm surges, and erosion. Port design must include elevated quays, reinforced breakwaters, flood-resilient drainage, and sediment management systems. Nature-based solutions such as mangrove restoration should complement engineering works. Early climate modelling ensures long-term resilience and reduces costly retrofitting in future decades.
- Low-Carbon and Energy-Efficient Operations
Keta should align with global decarbonization standards through shore-to-ship power, solar-powered terminals, and electrified cargo-handling equipment. Efficient logistics planning can reduce truck congestion and emissions. Integrating renewable energy and energy-efficient systems lowers operational costs, strengthens competitiveness, and improves access to climate finance and green investment opportunities.
- Protection of the KLCRS Ecosystem
The Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site supports fisheries, migratory birds, mangroves, and local livelihoods. Development must include a comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, ecological buffer zones, sediment control, and continuous water-quality monitoring. Protecting hydrological flows and biodiversity will prevent habitat degradation and ensure economic growth does not undermine ecological stability.
- Blue Economy Integration
A green Keta Port should strengthen, not displace, coastal livelihoods. Modern cold-chain facilities can boost sustainable fisheries exports, while marine research and environmental monitoring enhance ecosystem management. Linking logistics to eco-tourism and sustainable resource use will promote inclusive growth without ecological trade-offs.
- The Keta Port and Ghana’s Blue Economy
The Keta Port is central to Ghana’s blue economy strategy, supporting trade, fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, and coastal industrialisation. With multimodal connectivity, the port can anchor regional logistics ecosystems while creating high-value jobs and promoting sustainable use of marine resources.
International Benchmarking: Lessons for Keta Port
International evidence shows that cargo volumes are closely linked to infrastructure scale, connectivity, and economic integration.
The Port of Lomé, Togo, handles 1,000,000+ TEUs and approximately 14 million metric tonnes (MT) of cargo annually. This scale contributes an estimated 3–4% of Togo’s GDP and supports tens of thousands of jobs. These figures indicate that even in a relatively small economy, a well-positioned deep-water port can become a national economic pillar when structured around transshipment and Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The high TEU-to-GDP relationship reflects the port’s importance as a regional transit hub rather than a purely domestic trade facility.
The Port of Durban, South Africa, processes 2,500,000+ TEUs and roughly 35 million MT of cargo yearly. It contributes about 5% of regional GDP and supports around 150,000 jobs. The implication is clear: diversified cargo streams (containers, automotive, bulk commodities) combined with rail and road integration create strong multiplier effects across manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics sectors.
The Port of Mombasa, Kenya, records 1,200,000+ TEUs and approximately 16.8 million MT annually. Its estimated 2–3% contribution to GDP and support for about 100,000 jobs demonstrate how a regional gateway serving landlocked countries can structurally elevate national economic output. Transit trade significantly expands cargo beyond domestic consumption levels.
At the global level, the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, handles 14,000,000+ TEUs and nearly 196 million MT of cargo annually. It supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and is a major contributor to the national GDP. The scale reflects deep drafts exceeding 20 meters, extensive industrial clustering, and advanced logistics systems. The high metric tonnage illustrates strong bulk and petrochemical activity alongside containerized trade.
Across all four cases, three conclusions emerge from the data:
- TEU volumes correlate strongly with industrial integration.
- GDP contribution between 2–5% signals that ports function as macroeconomic growth engines.
- Employment figures show that port development has a significant social impact beyond maritime operations
- Strategic Positioning and Quantitative Potential of Keta Port
Keta’s eastern coastal location provides structural advantages distinct from Ghana’s existing ports, namely the Port of Tema and the Port of Takoradi. While Tema dominates container traffic and Takoradi supports bulk exports, cargo concentration in a single primary hub increases congestion risk and logistical vulnerability.
Preliminary development assumptions for Keta suggest:
- Potential dredged depth: 15–18 meters (suitable for Panamax/Post-Panamax vessels)
- Initial throughput potential: 500,000–800,000 TEUs
- Bulk cargo potential: petroleum products, agro-exports, solid minerals
- Greenfield expansion space: suitable for logistics parks and SEZ integration
If Keta Port reaches even 700,000 TEUs annually, benchmarking ratios suggest that it could generate a measurable macroeconomic impact. Using Lomé and Mombasa as comparators, such throughput could support 30,000–50,000 jobs directly and indirectly. Over time, the GDP contribution could reasonably approach 1.5–3%, depending on industrial linkages and the capture of transit trade.
Importantly, Keta’s proximity to Togo and integration into the eastern corridor position it as a potential transit outlet to Burkina Faso and Niger. Transit cargo would elevate volumes beyond Ghana’s domestic demand base, replicating the structural drivers seen in Mombasa and Lomé.
Within this framework, developing Keta Port represents a technically grounded and economically rational decision. Even at conservative throughput levels, the comparative evidence suggests that it would be a strong contributor to national output, regional trade competitiveness, and long-term socio-economic transformation.
Conclusion
President Mahama’s directive moves Keta Port from concept to execution under constitutional authority and Cabinet approval. With GPHA leading technical implementation under ministry oversight, integrated financing, environmental safeguards, and lessons from global benchmarks, Keta Port is poised to handle millions of tons of cargo annually, support tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs, contribute 1.5 -3 % of national GDP, and anchor Ghana’s blue economy strategy and regional trade integration. If executed effectively, the Keta Port will not simply be a port facility; it will be a transformational, resilient infrastructure project that redefines Ghana’s maritime and economic future.
By Dr. Samuel Dotse, CEO HATOF Foundation