By Edzorna Francis Mensah
Officials at the Ghana Shippers Authority have proclaimed that the passage of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Bill, 2024, into law marked an important step in the effort to strengthen one of the key commercial and revenue generation sectors of the economy.
According to them, the Bill to amend the 50 years establishment law of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority under the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 1974 (N.R.C.D. 254) to establish an Authority to regulate the commercial activities of shippers and shipping service providers in the shipment, storage and delivery of international trade cargo by sea, air and land will among others, primarily address the issue of unfair and excessive charges that burden traders who use Ghana’s sea and airports, as well as land borders to ply their international trade.
On Monday, 29th July 2024 Parliament passed The Bill into Law essentially to make the authority a regulatory body, that is the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, “to ensure the balance of interests between shippers and service providers in the international carriage of goods and related logistics activities in a manner that translates into efficiency and competitiveness in international trade”.
The Bill will also introduce transparency in the determination of port fees and charges, and will by that, ensure that there is better accountability in the legal movement of international trade cargo across all of borders of Ghana.
The law further aims to make Ghana a preferred transit trade route for her landlocked neighbours, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and overall, enhance the sector’s revenue contribution to the national purse.
At a news conference in Parliament, Emmanuel kofi Arku Director responsible for Business Development and Commercial Service at GSA, said, “This new law is an enabler, in the sense that, it will empower Ghana Shippers’ Authority to better adapt to emerging trends and complexities within the shipping and logistics industry. In this capacity, GSA can better protect the interests of shippers and shipping service providers, and improve its regulatory oversight of the entire industry. One of the fundamental reasons for the passing of this law is the need for effective regulation of the shipping and logistics sector to guarantee fair pricing and charges for all stakeholders, especially importers and exporters:
He mentioned the point that, the law thus empowers the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to facilitate the charging of fair fees at the ports and borders, and through that, promote the participation of local firms in the provision of services in the sector.
On her part, Director of Operations at the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Sylvia Asana Dauda Owu noted that new law will to enhance transparency, and accountability, and invariably drive improved revenue generation and collection for national socio-economic growth.
She said, the Authority (GSA) was established 50 years ago by NRCD 254 (1974) to regulate the commercial activities of shippers and shipping service providers in the shipment, storage, and delivery of international trade cargo by sea, air, and land and the over “last five (5) decades, GSA has driven compliance with established standards and guidelines in the commercial shipping sector in Ghana, and through Ghana to Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali. The law as passed will enable a more effective regulation of transit trade, and thereby balance the interests of shippers and service providers for enhanced efficiency and competitiveness in international trade”.
She again underscores, that, the amended law is a huge step in the right direction, but it is not a magic silver bullet. GSA is poised for a collaborative approach to dealing with any unforeseen issues that may arise; given the longstanding cordial relationships we have with all stakeholders of the sector. 12. To all stakeholders, rest assured that, in the enforcement of the law, we will pursue and ensure fairness and equitability to all interests in the industry. “We commit to doing this to ensure that, the law becomes a major win for Ghana in her quest to become the preferred trade hub in the region”.