The Director of Tema Port, Zumah Tebon esq, on Saturday, May 16, 2026, led staff, management and stakeholders of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority through a health walk aimed at promoting healthy living, workplace wellness and occupational safety within the port community.
The exercise, dubbed ‘The Maiden Edition of the DP’s Health Walk’, brought together workers from various departments of the Tema Port, players within the maritime industry, security agencies and other stakeholders operating within the port enclave.
Participants walked through selected routes within the harbour area amid scenes of enthusiasm, unity and fitness, as management of the port sought to encourage healthier lifestyles among workers in one of the country’s busiest operational environments.
The initiative comes at a time Ghana continues to grapple with a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including hypertension, diabetes, stroke, heart diseases and cancers, which health experts say are increasingly becoming major causes of death in the country.
Recent data from health authorities and national surveys indicate that NCDs account for between 42 and 45 percent of all deaths in Ghana, with unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, stress, smoking and harmful alcohol consumption identified among the leading risk factors.
Health experts have also warned that lifestyle-related diseases are overtaking infectious diseases as the leading causes of mortality in the country, raising concerns over the need for preventive healthcare and regular physical activity.
Against this backdrop, management of the Tema Port says the health walk forms part of efforts to encourage workers and stakeholders within the port community to adopt healthier routines and prioritise physical wellbeing.
Addressing participants after the exercise, Tema Port Director, Zumah Tebon esq, stressed the importance of good health and physical fitness in improving productivity and efficiency at the workplace.
According to him, the initiative is intended not only to promote healthy living among staff, but also to strengthen collaboration and social interaction between management, employees and stakeholders within the maritime sector.
“The port environment is naturally demanding and stressful due to the nature of operations and activities carried out daily within the harbour,” he stated.
He explained that workers within the port environment require regular exercise and wellness activities to help them remain active, healthy and physically fit in order to sustain productivity.
Mr Tebon further indicated that the health walk also served as a platform to deepen awareness on occupational health and safety within the port enclave.
Participants were encouraged to make regular exercise part of their daily lifestyles in order to maintain healthy and productive lives while contributing effectively to the growth of the Tema Port and Ghana’s trade sector.
Many participants described the exercise as timely and impactful, noting that it helped foster teamwork, unity and stronger relations among members of the port community.
“This health walk, I would say, came at the right time, and I know it is going to help us keep fit and improve our health indicators,” a freight forwarder noted.
Management of Tema Port expressed optimism that the health walk would become a regular feature on the port’s annual calendar as part of broader staff wellness and stakeholder engagement activities.
