The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has called for urgent reforms at the Tema Port to make it more efficient, predictable and competitive to attract more trade into Ghana.
It said persistent congestion and rising operational costs could drive importers to competing ports in the sub-region.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday on the congestions at the Tema Port, the Executive Secretary of IEAG, Samson Asaki Awingboit, said the port, which served as the main gateway for Ghana’s international trade, was facing a combination of challenges ranging from congestion, customs examinations and regulatory charges to terminal operations, truck turnaround times and poor coordination among state agencies.
The situation, he said, required immediate, high-level government intervention before it developed into a major threat to Ghana’s trade and economic competitiveness.
“The port is a dynamic 24-hour operational environment, and the challenges confronting businesses at the ports continue to evolve every day,” he said.
Mr Awingboit said IEAG’s engagements with importers, freight forwarders, customs house agents, transport operators and other stakeholders showed that the congestion could not be blamed on one institution.
He therefore called on the Chief of Staff to urgently convene a high-level delegation involving the Ministers of Finance, Transport, and Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, as well as the relevant port and regulatory agencies, to agree on an immediate action plan.
The Executive Secretary of IEAG said the high number of containers reportedly being subjected to physical and intrusive examination was a concern to importers and exporters and contribute to the high cost of doing business at the Tema Port.
He said IEAG’s preliminary assessment suggested that about 74 per cent of containers undergoing scanning were being routed to the red channel for further examination.
While acknowledging Customs’ responsibility to protect state revenue and prevent smuggling, Mr Awingboit said excessive physical examinations could undermine the very trade facilitation system they were intended to support.
“A risk-management system that routinely channels an exceptionally high proportion of cargo into intrusive examination risks becoming a congestion-generating mechanism rather than a trade-facilitation mechanism,” he said.
The Association also expressed concern about what it described as the breakdown of coordinated inspections involving agencies such as the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, National Authority for the Control of Alcohol and Drugs (NACOC) and National Security.
According to IEAG, some containers were being subjected to multiple inspections by different agencies, resulting in additional truck movements, delays and higher costs.
It further raised concerns over regulatory and inspection fees, saying the cumulative charges imposed by various agencies were increasing the cost of doing business and contributing to cargo dwell time, demurrage and storage costs.
Mr Awingboit warned that the situation could worsen during the December peak trading period if urgent measures were not taken.
He said IEAG was already receiving indications that some importers were considering routing cargo through the Port of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire because of delays and uncertainty at Ghana’s ports.
“Once an importer establishes a reliable alternative supply chain through another regional gateway, winning that business back becomes extremely difficult,” he cautioned.
The Executive Secretary of IEAG proposed a number of reforms to improve efficiency and performance at the Tema Port, including timelines for examinations, valuation disputes, regulatory inspections, truck processing and cargo release.
“Ghana needs a port system that is not only capable of generating revenue but also capable of facilitating trade efficiently, predictably and competitively,” Mr Awingboit said.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
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