The Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has inaugurated the newly appointed Board of Directors for the Tema Shipyard and Drydock Limited in Accra.
The Minister urged members to provide strategic leadership, ensure transparency and accountability, and work collaboratively with Management to reposition the Shipyard as one of the key drivers of Ghana’s Blue Economy. He described the Shipyard as a historic and strategic national asset, stressing that its retooling and revamping were central to the government’s industrial transformation drive.
He added that for Ghana to connect the full potential of the Blue Economy resources, maritime infrastructure must be developed to be world-class, efficient, and commercially viable, whilst emphasising the importance of the facility to create jobs for the youth of Ghana.
“For Ghana to harness the full potential of our Blue Economy resources, our maritime infrastructure must be developed to be world-class, efficient, and commercially viable. This informs the Government’s priority to retool and revamp the shipyard, given the potential of the facility to create jobs for the youth of Ghana,” the minister said.
Hon. Nikpe outlined the government’s intention to attract strategic private sector participation to modernise the facility, inject capital, and improve operational efficiency. He noted that beyond ship repair and dry-docking, the Shipyard holds significant potential to support fabrication and engineering services for the oil and gas industry.
He further indicated that partnerships would be pursued to promote technical training in shipbuilding and marine engineering, ensuring that the Ghanaian youth acquire specialized skills to actively participate in the sector.
While charging the Board to provide strong policy direction and strategic oversight, the Minister emphasised the need for transparency, accountability, and strict adherence to corporate governance principles. He reminded members to focus on oversight responsibilities and avoid involvement in the day-to-day management of the company. He added that the board was under the Ministry and should report to it, cautioning, the board should not deal with other Authorities above the Ministry without due consultation.
“Permit me to use this opportunity to caution the Board from either directly or indirectly taking over the day-to-day management of the Shipyard, but work as a team with management in line with good governance principles. Under no circumstances should the Board deal with other Authorities above the Ministry without due consultation,” the minister advised
The nine-member Board includes
1. Dr. George Sipa-Adjah Yankey - Chairman
2. Alhaji Osman Sulemana - Member
3. Millicent Wutsika - Member
4. Mahama Adam Jandah - Member
5. Samuel Bavug Wusah - Member
6. Kofi A. Asmah - Member
7. Abubakari Muaz Zemoli - Member
8. Obed Koah Opintan - Member
9. Albert Derrick Fiatui - Member
The new Board Chairman, Dr. George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, thanked the President and the Minister for the trust placed in them and pledged to work collaboratively with Management and Staff to restore the Shipyard’s competitiveness. He expressed confidence that, with the right investments and operational reforms, the facility would not only be the envy of West Africa but a principal player in the drydock and shipbuilding industry in Africa.
The reconstitution of the Board signals renewed momentum towards further strengthening Ghana’s maritime industry and leveraging the Shipyard as a catalyst for industrial growth, employment generation, and economic transformation.
