By Nathaniel Annertey Nartey
Members of the Western Regional Transit Shipper Committee of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), received insight into transit procedures within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region.
The procedures are comprehensive guidelines and regulations, that govern the movement of goods across the West African region. It seeks to facilitate a seamless and efficient transit trade among ECOWAS member states.
At the 4th Quarter meeting on 22nd November 2023, Mr. Abdul Haki Bashiru-Dine of GSA, made submissions on the ECOWAS Customs Code and Legal Framework Governing Transit Trade, Procedures, and General Provisions of the ECOWAS Supplementary Act on Transit.
Mr. Bashiru-Dine emphasized that the ECOWAS Legal Framework ensures that transit trade activities align with the overarching goals and principles of the ECOWAS community. He indicated that the Transit Trade Procedures, detailed the processes transit goods must undergo including documentation, inspections, and other required measures that guarantee compliance.
He elucidated the provisions of the ECOWAS Customs Code, and its role in providing rules and regulations for the movement of goods across borders within the ECOWAS region.
Predictability is assured for traders considering the standardization of the customs procedures. The General Provisions of the ECOWAS Supplementary Act on Transit, according to him, offer additional regulations that complement the legal framework, providing detailed guidelines on various aspects of transit trade.
The sensitization was to foster compliance and facilitate effective transit trade along Ghana’s transit corridors.
The Transit Shipper Committee, an initiative by the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), is a platform to address challenges in Transit Trade along Ghana’s transport corridor. Membership in the Committee includes transit shippers from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and other key stakeholders in the transit value chain.