The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has renewed calls for a comprehensive overhaul of port operations and the introduction of a unified exchange rate policy, warning that inefficiencies and currency disparities are undermining business growth and Ghana’s trade competitiveness.
Speaking at the association’s 11th anniversary celebration and the launch of its new website, Executive Secretary Samson Asaki Awingobit said persistent delays at Ghana’s ports are driving traders to use neighbouring ports in Togo, with some products smuggled back into the country.
He noted that high port charges and bureaucratic bottlenecks continue to frustrate importers and exporters.
Mr. Awingobit also raised concerns over the widening gap between the interbank and black-market exchange rates, saying the situation is pushing most traders to source foreign currency from unregulated markets at volatile rates.
“This is a national concern, and we are calling on the Bank of Ghana to provide a unified forex rate that compels all banks and forex traders to operate under a transparent, fair, and business-friendly system,” he said.
He urged government to take urgent steps to reduce high interest rates to make financing more accessible for business expansion, stressing that without coordinated policy action, the country risks losing its competitive edge in regional trade.
In a keynote address, Ghana Shippers’ Authority Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, pledged decisive action to lower the cost of doing business at the ports, curb smuggling, and reduce the reliance on Togo’s port for imports.
He said the new Shippers Act grants the authority powers to regulate and review port charges, and ongoing research will ensure that all new fees are justified.
While acknowledging that a stronger cedi could help reduce port charges, Prof. Gyampo assured that certain fees would be negotiated down or scrapped entirely.
Commending the IEAG for its advocacy over the past decade, Prof. Gyampo reaffirmed the commitment of state agencies to work collaboratively toward efficiency, transparency, and reforms that foster a more business-friendly environment.
Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Johnson Asiama, in a separate statement, acknowledged the concerns raised and pledged to ensure interest rates align with easing inflation and exchange rate pressures.
The IEAG expressed optimism about near-term improvements but maintained that pragmatic measures, policy alignment, and strong political will are essential to revamp the ports and avert a potential crisis in Ghana’s trade sector.
