Some trader associations in Ghana have locked horns over the new Ghana Shippers Authority Act passed by Parliament on 29th July 2024.
The new law is aimed at regulating the commercial activities of the shippers and addressing the issue of unfair and excessive charges that burden traders who use Ghana’s sea and airport, as well as land borders, to ply their international trade.
Following the passage of the act by parliament, the Ghana Union of Traders of Association (GUTA) has vehemently opposed the approval of the act by the President citing a lack of broader consultation in some critical areas of the act.
GUTA says the act in its current state if assented to and implemented would be inimical to their businesses hence appealing to the President to halt assenting the act.
Although the Ghana Shippers Authority has indicated that concerns cited by the GUTA in the act will addressed by a legislative instrument (LI), the trader association insists on correcting the Act itself.
“Our consultations suggest that LI s cannot override an Act, hence our call on the President of the Republic not to assent to the Act until all issues are resolved, “ a GUTA statement copied to The High Street Journal read.
But in an interesting turn of events, another trader association, Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has wholeheartedly embraced the Act and has also expressed their shock over the opposition of GUTA.
TAGG in a statement further countered the claim by GUTA that there has not been broader stakeholder engagement.
TAGG is surprised about the claims of other stakeholders because the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) started engaging stakeholders the day after the law was passed and has continued its dialogue on how the law will be implemented to make Ghana an attractive and competitive trading destination,” parts of TAGG’s statement read.
In addition, while GUTA believes the Act in its current state is inimical to their business, TAGG is of the view that “the new law is in the interest of the new multiple stakeholders of the shipping and logistics sector, and any attempt to stifle it would only be in the interest of a few who may not necessarily have of the traders at heart.”
Despite GUTA’s stance, TTAG is encouraging the president to expeditiously append his signature to act to make it a law which they believe “will place Ghana on the global commercial shipping scene.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Shippers Authority in response to the concerns of the GUTA indicated that the law will not stifle businesses but will enhance the growth and development of commercial businesses.
The authority further indicated that they are open to broader engagement to address the concerns of all stakeholders to make all parties satisfied.
GSA noted that “it remains open to constructive collaboration and engagement with all stakeholders and interested parties within the commercial shipping sector, as we continue to confer on shaping the sector into a fit-for-purpose engine of socio-economic growth for the common good of traders as well as the general citizenry of Ghana.”
“GSA hereby assures that the law is an enabler rather than an inhibitor to the profitable commercial shipping business, as has rightly been espoused by GUTA since it was passed. GSA therefore reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that this overarching goal of the law is not compromised, and appeals to all stakeholders to remain at the table of discussion, as inputs into the expected L.I. are pooled for the attention of the relevant law drafters and makers,” the statement added.
