The Minority in Parliament has charged the government to immediately address the concerns of striking workers of Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, arguing that the development puts the image of the country in a bad light.

Workers of the Authority have been on strike for days now demanding that 20% of vessels docking at Terminal 3 handled by MPs be given to them.

They have accused management of leaving them idle.

However, speaking to the media in Parliament, the Minority Spokesperson on the Roads and Transport Committee, Governs Kwame Agbodza blamed the failure on the part of the government to operationalize the Unity terminal which has the capacity of handling over 2,000 containers.

“What we think should happen is that the government and workers of GPHA should sit and explain these things very well. I think it is all about giving workers the opportunity to work. You will be surprised that the Jubilee terminal around Kpone which can take over 2,000 containers has been lying idle.

“Why is the government not able to operationalize the unity terminal and rather encourage individuals to be setting up small terminals around the port. This has led to a lot of losses”.

The Adaklu MP further accused the government of diverting a total of $120 million in dividends paid by MPS to the state.

He tasked the Transport Minister to quickly move in to explain things to the agitating workers.

The local unions of the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA) have embarked on a massive demonstration to protest the Meridian Ports Services (MPS)-GPHA concession agreement signed in 2015.

In an interview, the Union Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Arhin Young, stressed that the MPS-GPHA deal was having dire implications on the GPHA workforce and the entire nation.

This development, he said, compelled the Maritime Dockworkers Union (MDU) to petition the presidency on the matter, which necessitated a cabinet meeting on the issues and concerns raised by the unions.