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The Ghana Association of Stevedoring Companies (GASCO) has appealed to government to review the port reform policies in a holistic approach to ensure a necessary fair playing field for all players in the maritime industry. The Association has also urged the Minister of Transport, Mike Hammah, to expedite action on the passing of the Landlord Port Bill, to reflect the changing face of the Ghanaian maritime industry. �We also urge the Ghana Maritime Authority to use its role as a liaising authority to review the various policies adversely affecting the indigenous maritime operators,� the statement added. It emphasized that the future of indigenous stevedoring was bleak because it was saddled with huge financial obligations to various financial sponsors and high royalties of 25 percent on gross earnings, amongst others. Addressing some members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Transport and Deputy Ministers of Transport and Youth and Sport, Dzifa Attivor and Nii Nortey Duah over the weekend, Bennet Aboagye, President of GASCO intimated that for the local firms to be able to compete with foreign firms there was the crucial need for a level playing field, adding �Today, we have a port where containerized cargo is exclusively handled by shipping lines forming a consortium to operate as terminal operators under a concession joint venture arrangement with the port authority. These same entities operate as freight forwarders and haulage operators, and this has created a private monopoly which in our view is contrary to the very essence of Port reforms. He noted that bad port related services produces poor port patronage, which results in poor indicators for the country�s international trade. Mr. Aboagye further stressed the need for the Ministry of Trade to collaborate with stakeholders of the maritime transport to ensure growth of the indigenous private sector. Mrs. Attivor, who represented government, welcomed the concerns of the stevedoring companies, stressing that she will refer the matter to the Minister of Transport for onward submission to cabinet, adding �I know that there has been a meeting between the Ghana Ports and Habours Authority (GPHA) and the Ministry, and I assure you that I will follow up to ensure that you operate in a business friendly environment. She however urged them to take advantage of the Oil discovery.