Analysis of port management and ownership models in Ghana between 1980 and 2020: motivation and consequences

The growing demand for port efficiency is shifting port ownership and control of strategic operational activities from purely public ports to private port models. This study assessed the ownership models of seaports and the effects of the model changes on port /economic growth, social life and the port environment from 1980 to 2020. Semi-structured interviews were employed in data collection. System dynamics modelling were applied to simulate port ownership system over a period to gain insight into the potential consequences of current port ownership decisions on structure behaviour of the port system in Ghana. The findings suggest that nationalism, systemic corruption and the quest for a political legacy have influenced port ownership models in Ghana with potential unintended consequences on port/economic growth, social life and the port environment. This study contributes to unravelling the motive for selecting port ownership/management models in Ghana over the past 40 years. The insights gained could lead to industry-wide policy reforms that could influence future decision-making towards sustainable port and economic growth. This could also inform the choice of the strategic management approach taken to make Ghanaian ports a preferred option in the new trade block (the African Continental Free Trade Area).