Ghana is gradually losing its strategic position as a key gateway for regional trade as excessive port charges continue to push traffic away. This is an observation of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT).
Ghana’s port, which was the favorite for the landlocked countries in West Africa such as Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali are now shifting their attention to other ports in the region, thanks to exorbitant port charges.
Cletus Kuzagbe, Prefect of the Fellows Guild of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Ghana, reveals that these landlocked countries, who hitherto used Ghana ports, are now using Togo and Ivory Coast ports.
This, he says, is a cause of concern as the country is losing significant revenues as a result of the diversion.
“For some time now, traffic in the port has gone down because of some of the charges. And honestly, some of them need to be removed,” Kuzagbe stated. “These high charges are discouraging trade, especially from landlocked countries like Burkina Faso and Niger, who previously relied heavily on Ghana’s ports,” he added in interview with the media.
He explained that goods from these countries merely transit through Ghana and are not intended for the local market, suggesting that only basic handling charges should apply.
However, the imposition of additional fees has driven them to seek alternatives, often preferring ports in neighboring Francophone countries they consider more aligned with their interests.
“The trade increase in the port, when we have traffic from the landlocked countries like Burkina Faso, Niger, they pass a lot of their goods through the ports. But when the port charges increase, some are affected. But honestly speaking, the goods are not for the country. They just pass through. So, what one needs is the handling of charges. But other things are slapped on them, which have made them go back, especially the French countries, which they think are their brothers,” he lamented.
Kuzagbe is therefore urging the government to review the entire cost structure and address inefficiencies in cargo movement from the ports, including persistent roadblocks that slow down the transit process.
“Apart from the charges, there are delays caused by multiple road checks. We must minimize these to allow cargo to flow freely through our ports and roads,” he advised.
Industry watchers say Ghana’s potential to become a West African logistics and trade hub could be undermined if swift reforms are not implemented.
Restoring trust and cost-efficiency in the port system is seen as essential to driving trade volumes, increasing government revenue, and supporting the country’s broader economic goals.
