By Perdita AGYARKO
The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has issued a stern warning to the government, cautioning that severe operational paralysis and systemic bottlenecks at the nation’s sea ports could force businesses to abandon Ghanaian gateways for neighboring Côte d’Ivoire.
In a press conference held at Accra, Executive Secretary Samson Asaki Awingbit called on the Chief of Staff to immediately lead a high-powered, inter-ministerial task force to intervene before the upcoming December peak trading period triggers a total breakdown in trade facilitation.
“The port is a dynamic 24-hour operational environment, and every single disruption—whether in clearance, valuation, or shipping line operations—has a direct, devastating impact on the cost of doing business in Ghana,” Awingbit declared. “If decisive action is not taken now, we will not only be fighting congestion in December; we will be fighting to win back importers who have permanently shifted their supply chains to competing ports like Abidjan.”
Systemic Failures Gridlocking the Ports
The Association highlighted several critical operational breakdowns across the maritime ecosystem that are artificially driving up dwell times, shipping costs, and logistics demurrage:
Excessive ‘Red-Routing’ of Cargo: Preliminary assessments reveal that approximately 74 percent of scanned containers are being diverted to the red channel for physical examination. IEAG emphasized that routine physical stripping of three-quarters of all cargo defeats the purpose of risk-based scanning technology and creates massive congestion at examination bays.
Collapse of the Joint Inspection Regime: Despite existing directives establishing a synchronized, single-window inspection framework, key regulatory agencies (including Customs, FDA, NACOC, and National Security) are failing to conduct joint examinations. Importers report being forced into multiple, successive inspection cycles.
Extortion Allegations Under Scrutiny: The IEAG raised serious concerns over reports that clearing agents are being coerced into making unofficial payments—allegedly up to GH¢1,000 per container—to avoid repetitive and unnecessary secondary inspections.
Unregulated Fee Escalations: Recent, uncoordinated fee increases by state agencies such as the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have placed an unsustainable administrative and financial burden on local businesses.
Severe Haulage & Terminal Delays: Severe delays at shipping line terminals—particularly container facilities operated by MSC—have caused long truck turnaround times, prompting haulage drivers to refuse pickup assignments and causing uncleared cargo to stack up across the port yards.
Petition to Oust SOAAG from Maritime State Boards
In a significant policy demand, the IEAG officially petitioned the President to remove representatives of the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG) from the governing boards of both the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).
The petition follows ongoing friction over the controversial “Container Administrative Charge.” According to the IEAG, shipping lines continue to levy approximately US$165 per container on Ghanaian importers, openly defying both a state regulatory directive and a High Court ruling that capped the fee at GH¢720 per TEU.
Drawing parallels to a 2016 impasse over Terminal Handling Charges (THC) under former President John Mahama, Awingbit argued that board representation is a privilege reserved for entities that demonstrate regulatory compliance and respect for state authority.
Proposed Emergency Action Plan
To restore trade competitiveness and avert a national supply chain disaster, the IEAG is calling for the immediate implementation of a four-point resolution:
1. Chief of Staff Special Delegation: Convening an emergency stakeholder meeting bringing together the Chief of Staff alongside the Ministers for Finance, Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, and Transport, as well as port agency heads.
2. Audit of Selectivity Parameters: Conducting an immediate, data-driven operational review of Customs risk-profiling parameters to reduce the proportion of containers routed for intrusive physical checks.
3. Restoration of One-Stop Inspections: Enforcing a strict, synchronized inspection window where all regulatory bodies must examine cargo simultaneously.
4. Binding Operational Benchmarks: Establishing strict performance targets for cargo release, truck processing, and dispute resolution, holding each port agency accountable for time added to the clearance chain.
