Shippers optimistic as GSA reveals plans to amend 50-year establishment Act
The Ghana Shippers Authority has assured the Ghanaian public that it is exploring innovative and more effective ways of seeking, promoting, and protecting the interest of shippers.
To this end, the Authority has organized a breakfast meeting for top shippers within the southern zone to deliberate on the cost and conditions at the sea ports, airports and land borders following similar meetings with shippers in the western and middle zones.
This semi-formal meeting with the platinum category of shippers held in Accra was also an opportunity for the Shippers’ Authority to consult this select group of stakeholders on the ongoing processes to amend the Authority’s establishment Act 1974 (NRCD 254).
The amendment aims to empower the Authority to address contemporary issues of concern to industry players, especially shippers, and to strengthen the Authority’s oversight role over the commercial shipping sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Kwesi Baffour Sarpong, said his outfit is adopting a pre-emptive approach to addressing challenges in the shipping value chain and also to champion a demurrage-free port in the shortest possible time.
“Shippers will be sent prior notification of anticipated challenges with their shipment, so steps are taken to address them. Some shippers will be assigned relationship managers and as needed basis to ensure that your needs of the port are addressed,” he stated.
He said, to improve service delivery in the industry, the Authority is taking steps to implement the provisions of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority regulations 2012 L.I. 2190, section 6 which relates to service standards.
“A key aspect of implementing this includes the signing of service level agreements known as SLAs with shipping service providers, hence, GSA has formed working groups with Freight Forwarders, Terminal Operators, Shipping Lines, Developed SLAs that match Global industry standards and best practices,” he said.
The Head of Business Development at the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Fred Asiedu Dartey, made a presentation on the process associated with the amendment of the Authority’s establishment act.
“The process of amending a law is quite elaborate, it involves first of all understanding and defining what areas you intend to amend, it involves engagement of stakeholders to get their buying and their understanding and their input, most importantly in terms of what needs to be amended we already have secured cabinet approval to initiate this process and the process is being led by the Ministry of Transport,” he said.
During an open forum, some participants expressed a yearn for the proposed amendment of the Shippers’ act to equip the Authority with the powers to bite when necessary.
