The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), the Association of Customs House Agents of Ghana, Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana and the Customs Brokers Association of Ghana, with several trade associations and concerned stakeholders have agreed to stage a protest on September 24 to highlight the exploitative practices by shipping lines operating within the country.
In a press statement jointly signed by all the leadership of the various associations, the group averred that the protest is to trumpet their concerns on a range of issues they believe are negatively impacting the cost of doing business in Ghana.
Chief among their concerns is the imposition of arbitrary charges such as local administrative fees, container cleaning fees and empty container fees.
These charges which are pegged to the dollar, the logistics players explained, violate the Bank of Ghana’s regulations on pricing of locally derived services.
“Again, we are calling for the immediate cessation of demurrage charges on weekends and public holidays, which unfairly penalise businesses during non-working days when clearance processes are halted. We are demanding a refund of all demurrage fees that have been levied during these periods, insisting that the charges are unjustifiable and harmful to businesses,” the statement highlighted.
The coalition raised concerns over the repatriation of forex earnings by shipping lines, which, they claim, is contributing to the country’s foreign exchange difficulties, arguing that it weakens the local currency and further burdens the national economy, making it harder for Ghanaian businesses to compete both locally and internationally.
“These practices have stifled the potential growth of Ghana’s shipping sector, severely impacting businesses and crippling the financial well-being of numerous stakeholders within the supply chain,” the statement said.
The group held that the positive outcome of their protest would improve the efficiency of Ghana’s logistics and supply chain and help stabilise the local currency and lower the cost of goods for consumers.
“This is not just an industry issue. It’s a national issue,” the group said.
