The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) says the rollout of 24-hour port operations has significantly improved cargo clearance times and strengthened Ghana’s competitiveness as a regional trade hub.
Speaking at a stakeholder forum organised by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Mr. Kudjo Alepe Nyame, Chief Revenue Officer in charge of Outdoor at the Golden Jubilee Terminal, said the round-the-clock system had reduced dwell time, improved supply-chain efficiency, and enhanced revenue mobilisation.
He described the move as “a net policy for trade facilitation and revenue growth,” noting that continuous operations allowed consignments to be processed without interruption.
According to him, extending operations into the night had helped spread workloads more evenly, maintaining clearance efficiency during peak periods and ensuring that revenue collection remained uninterrupted.
Providing data to demonstrate the impact, Mr. Nyame disclosed that June recorded 142 door-to-door deliveries (container unstuffing and restuffing) during the day and 1,018 TEUs at night.
In July, day deliveries rose to 2,460 TEUs, with night operations reaching 4,312 TEUs. For August, 2,343 TEUs were delivered during the day, compared with 4,910 at night.
“With these figures, you can really tell that the 24-hour economy is on stream, and a lot of the trading public have bought into it,” he said.
He said the policy has also helped importers reduce demurrage costs. Without night-time operations, consignments would often remain uncleared for days, increasing storage and penalty charges.
The new system, he said, enables importers to complete clearance more quickly and avoid these extra costs.
To further strengthen service delivery, Mr. Nyame indicated that the Customs Division is preparing to roll out additional training for officers.
Accurate classification and identification of goods, he stressed, remain essential for determining correct duty payments.
He reaffirmed Customs’ commitment to making the 24-hour system fully effective through stakeholder collaboration and responsive service delivery.
He also urged customs agents to channel their concerns to the division for resolution as part of efforts to ensure the policy’s success.
