Shipping Lines operating in Ghana are under pressure to meet the demands of the stakeholders of Ghana’s shipping industry or face their wrath.
The stakeholders including the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, Freight Forwarders Association, Importers and Exporters Association, Association of Customs House Agents of Ghana, and Customs Brokers Association of Ghana among others on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, staged a protest to register their displeasure against these shipping lines for what they describe as unwarranted and exorbitant charges.
These stakeholders are bemoaning very high administrative charges, demurrage costs, container cleaning costs, and exchange rates used by these companies.
According to these groups, these exploitative charges are negatively impacting the cost of doing business in Ghana while partly contributing to the astronomical increase in prices of goods and services in the country.
To register their displeasure to the shipping lines, shipping authorities, and the government, the group after the protest said they are giving the shipping lines two weeks to review their business operations or charges.
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Vice President of Freight Forwarders, Nana Asiamah Peprah says failure of the shipping lines to meet their demands will result in the escalation of their pressure to ensure that fair practices are ensured.
Lamenting over some of the unfair practices of the lines, Nana Asiamah Peprah explained: “Government gives us exchange rate every week. They use their own exchange rate. They quote in dollars which is even against Bank of Ghana laws and then they convert it with their own exchange rate which is even higher than what is on the black market. This is not acceptable. This and among others we are saying that enough is enough.”
“We have been complaining to all the appropriate authorities that have to do with these issues. Nothing has been done for over three decades. But today, we did this to let them know that we have given them two weeks and then see the effects of what we have done. If they don’t, we will take it to the next level,” he added.
