The various shipping lines operating at Ghana’s sea ports are now ready to negotiate increased charges slapped on Ghanaian importers, exporters and freight forwarders.
The decision to now negotiate the charges with the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) – the nation’s sole regulatory body mandated to regulate freight charges – follows a directive from the Transport Minister-designate, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah.
The directive followed a meeting between representatives of the shipping lines, the GSA, GIFF, Importers and Exporters Association and other relevant stakeholders.
Speaking on an Accra-based radio station (Asaase radio), Executive Secretary of the Concerned Freight Forwarders and Traders of Ghana, Jonny Mantey, expressed delight and satisfaction with the Transport Minister-designee’s directive.
“We are very happy with the directive from the Transport Minister-designate, which is for the shipping lines to follow due processes by first going to the GSA to negotiate the charges before implementing them. The shipping lines have also agreed to do so and so we are very happy about it,” he said.
An impasse between shipping lines and exporters, importers and freight forwarders have ensued in the last few months over increased charges by the shipping lines.
Exporters, importers and freight forwarders in the country have described as exorbitant the charges slapped on them by the shipping lines and threatened not to pay the charges which was scheduled to take effect March 1, 2021.
