The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) has accused regulators of failing to enforce the GH¢720 cap on the Container Administrative Charge, saying weak enforcement is allowing some shipping lines to continue imposing charges above the approved limit.
The Institute warned that the lack of compliance is increasing costs for freight forwarders, importers and businesses that rely on Ghana’s ports, while undermining confidence in regulatory directives.
Speaking to Citi Business News, GIFF General Secretary Paul Kobina Mensah said government must move beyond issuing directives and letters and ensure that shipping lines that disregard the cap face sanctions.
“It is unfortunate, and we seem to be helpless. It’s a directive and must be enforced,” he said.
According to Mr Mensah, repeated correspondence with shipping lines has failed to produce the desired results, as some operators continue to charge beyond the prescribed GH¢720 limit.
He argued that regulatory agencies must be empowered to compel compliance and impose consequences on companies that ignore official directives.
“When the directive goes out and the relevant agencies or companies are not adhering to that directive, I think there should be a mechanism to make them respect the directive and act accordingly,” he said.
The GIFF said the continued non-compliance raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of enforcement within Ghana’s maritime sector and creates uncertainty for businesses involved in cargo clearance and logistics operations.
Mr Mensah noted that although authorities have written to the affected shipping lines, the Institute has yet to see meaningful action to ensure compliance.
“In this case, we seem to only hear letters being written to them. Letters are written to them all right. They still don’t care,” he added.
The Institute is therefore urging government and relevant regulatory bodies to introduce stronger enforcement measures, including penalties where necessary, to ensure that the approved container charge is respected across the industry.
GIFF believes that strict enforcement would reduce avoidable port charges, improve transparency in the shipping sector and provide greater cost certainty for freight forwarders and importers.
The call comes amid broader concerns over the rising cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports, with industry players arguing that regulatory directives will only be effective if they are backed by firm enforcement and accountability.
