Freight forwarders in Ghana are urging the government to take immediate action against the growing trend of shipping lines charging administrative fees in U.S. dollars at the country’s ports.
According to the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), these charges are arbitrary, unregulated, and impose avoidable costs on trade. The issue was raised during a meeting between GIFF leadership and President John Dramani Mahama at the Jubilee House on Friday, July 11, 2025.
GIFF President, Mr. Stephen Adjokatcher, described the practice as unjustifiable, noting that services rendered locally are being charged in foreign currency without standardization.
“There’s no consistency. Each shipping line sets its own rates. Some are charging in dollars for services done right here in Ghana. This must stop,” he stated.
He further explained that, unlike countries such as China where administrative charges are applied once per bill of lading regardless of container count, Ghanaian shippers are made to pay per container — even when multiple containers are listed under a single bill of lading.
“These charges are largely redundant. Most of the functions they claim to cover are already managed by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority. Yet, shipping lines continue to operate without oversight,” he added.
Mr. Adjokatcher also criticized the Ghana Shippers Authority for inaction, despite repeated attempts by GIFF to engage the regulator.
“We’ve reached out several times with no meaningful response. That’s why we’re bringing this directly to you, Mr. President. We believe leadership at your level can bring about change.”
Supporting the concerns, GIFF’s immediate past president, Mr. Kwabena Ofosu Appiah, traced the origin of the fees to a time when Ghana’s port infrastructure was underdeveloped.
“In the past, a small fee—around $10—was allowed to support shipping lines with stevedoring. But with modern facilities like the Meridian Port Services terminal now in place, those conditions no longer apply,” he said.
He noted that with the significant improvements in port infrastructure and faster vessel turnaround times, the continued imposition of administrative charges by shipping lines is increasingly difficult to justify. He also expressed concern over the use of unregulated exchange rates in calculating these fees.
“Shipping lines are applying their own exchange rates without any oversight. It’s inconsistent and creates uncertainty in the trading environment,” he stated.
The freight forwarders called on the President to instruct the appropriate regulatory bodies to take swift action. They also urged a review of the Ghana Shippers Authority’s mandate, especially in light of upcoming legislative changes that could blur the lines of regulatory responsibility.
In response, President Mahama acknowledged their concerns and assured them that the issue would be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance and other relevant agencies for thorough examination.
