By Nathaniel Annertey Nartey
Importers and Exporters are pushing for consistent talks among continental stakeholders in the shipping and logistics sector over the high cost of freight.
According to them, the development is not only a disincentive to their operation but is also adversely affecting economic growth as it has led to a decline in traffic at the ports.
This came up during the Ghana Shippers Authority’s (GSA) routine shipper visitation on Friday 5th May 2023.
The companies visited were B & S Company Limited and Sambrimin Enterprise, both exporters of yam and based at Achimota; Confirm Naturals, a potential exporter of shea butter based off the Spintex Road and Panda Investment Limited, importers of general goods and machinery based at La.
The officials of the company alluded to news articles on the Union of Africa Shippers Council (UASC) meeting that the continental body is working to facilitate a reduction in transportation costs for transnational trade. They urged the GSA to continue to work hard with its counterparts on the continent to get relief for shippers.
“I think the meeting with the UASC committee of experts is in the right direction because something has to be done about the cost of freight. We are hopeful that the recommendations from the meeting will be favorable”, the Sales Manager of Panda Investment Limited Mr. George Oheneba Nti said.
An Officer of the Shipper Services and Trade Facilitation Department of the GSA, Mr. Basil Sennor assured them that the GSA will follow up on the work done by the Committee to facilitate the implementation of its recommendations.
He used the opportunity to provide an update on steps being taken by the GSA to address the challenges associated with the high cost of freight. He said that the GSA has held engagements with the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA) and the Committee of Freight Forwarders’ Association (COFFA) on ways to reduce the cost of shipping, and had submitted a report to the Minister of Transport for consideration.