Key stakeholders operating at Ghana’s ports are set to stage a protest today, Tuesday, September 24, at 9 a.m., in a coordinated effort to demand the abolition of hidden charges imposed by shipping lines operating in the country.
Led by Edward Akrong, the former President of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), the protest is expected to draw a significant turnout from major port industry groups.
Participants will include members from the Association of Customs House Agents of Ghana, the Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana, the Customs Brokers Association of Ghana, and the Association of Customs House Agents of Ghana, all of whom are uniting to challenge what they describe as “unfair and burdensome” fees imposed on them by shipping lines.
Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM with Umaru Sanda Amadu, Edward Akrong disclosed that the charges by shipping lines have become increasingly prohibitive for businesses operating in Ghana’s ports.
According to Mr. Akrong, the cost to release a single 40-foot container from the shipping lines has skyrocketed to nearly $100,000, a fee compounded by additional hidden costs that are difficult to trace.
“This protest has got to do with the shipping lines and their boring charges in our ports. It is against the shipping lines of Ghana and how we have been treated all this while.”
“They [the shipping lines] take all these fees and they keep coming up with new ones. It will cost you almost $100,000 to just release a 40-footer container from a shipping line. They also have other hidden charges and this is not right.”
Mr. Akrong highlighted that despite numerous efforts to engage with the Ministry of Transport on these concerns, no concrete actions have been taken to address the issues.
“All these come under the purview of the Ministry of Transport and we have engaged them severally. About five of my predecessors have written letters that show that we have engaged on this many times and the time has come for this to end it,” Mr. Akrong added.
