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Regional Focus

Africa

Mixed fortunes for

West Africa

K
ouame Aduo Luc, ISSA Executive Vice President and Within Nothern Africa, Tanger Med Port in Morocco
representative for Africa and President of the Ivory and ports in Tunisia and Algeria are faring well and the

Coast Shipsuppliers Association, says countries in thebooming oil trade has been good for Angola, Mozambique and
West African zone are currently experiencing mixed fortunes. Equatorial Guinea.

“Whilst Ivory Coast is reported by inancial experts asSpeaking of issues which were affecting ship suppliers in
booming, especially in economic management, the return of the West Africa directly, he said some small or ‘self-proclaimed’

African Development Bank head ofice to the capital, Abidjan ship suppliers were using ictitious company names which were

signiies a lot to the international spectrum.not licensed by the Government.
“The ports in Abidjan and San Pedro are constantly busy “They are also parading as being ISSA members and

with the loading and discharging of goods.”circulating messages of lies to ship owners that they operate in
In Ghana, however, it was a different story, he said, as the Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast, Benin, Senegal and Nigeria,” he said.

unstable Cedi currency situation along with over three years He urged ship owners to always consult the ISSA
of electricity supply problems, were widely contributing to the secretariat in London for clear status on new companies that

diminishing of manufacturing irms and service industries.approach them since the secretariat can obtain the correct
Speaking of Ghana, Mr Luc said: “Unless the monetary information regarding who is a bona ide member of ISSA.

institutions bail out is positive, 2015 has not been well at One positive last night note, said Mr Luc, was the
all economically.”decline in the deadly Ebola virus in countries which were

He said Nigeria, which is the continent’s biggest economy, was previously affected, including Liberia, Sierra Leone and
struggling with economic management and the menace of militant Guinea. He said Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Mali and Benin

Islamist group Boko Haram which is expanding its activities into were still free from the virus which had, to date, caused over

the neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon.11,000 deaths. u

The SHIP Supplier Issue 66 2015 15