Importers And Exporters Demand Urgent Government Action To Decongest Ghana’s Ports.
The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) is calling on the government to urgently intervene to address the worsening congestion and operational challenges at Ghana’s ports.
The Association says the situation, if not addressed immediately, could have serious consequences for Ghana’s trade competitiveness, revenue mobilisation and the wider economy.
He said importers and customs house agents are spending long hours dealing with assessments, testing, disputed charges and regulatory approvals before their cargoes are released.
According to him, the delays are increasing cargo dwell time, storage charges, container detention fees and other logistics costs for businesses.
The Association is also calling for a government-led review of port-related regulatory fees and charges, particularly recent increases.
He further indicate that Importers and customs house agents are increasingly spending considerable time undergoing assessment, seeking clarification, resolving disputed charges, and waiting for regulatory approvals before their cargo can be released.
These delays are creating bottlenecks at the cargo clearance interface, resulting in increased cargo dwell times, mounting storage charges, container detention fees, and higher logistics costs.
The IEA is therefore calling for urgent measures to streamline the clearance process and address the bottlenecks affecting operations at Ghana’s ports.
The IEAG is also demanding action over the representation of shipping lines on the boards of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and the Ghana Maritime Authority.
He also criticised the continued payment of the Container Administrative Charge by importers, citing what he described as a regulatory directive and a High Court ruling concerning the charge.
He said the continued resistance by shipping lines to regulatory directives on the charge is contributing to tensions within the port sector and increasing the burden on importers.
REPORTER: AHIABOR AHIABOR.
