The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has called on President John Dramani Mahama, through the Minister of Transport, to urgently go to Parliament to revoke the Certificate of Urgency and remove the representatives of shipping lines from the boards of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

According to the Association, the shipping lines have shown gross disrespect to the country by defying state directives and court rulings.

Addressing a press conference in Accra, the Executive Secretary of IEAG, Samson Asaki Awingobit, said it is unacceptable that importers continue to pay approximately $165 per container as administrative charges when a regulatory directive and a High Court ruling have set a ceiling of GH¢720 per container for both imports and exports.

“The continuous resistance by the shipping lines to the regulatory directive has generated considerable concern among Ghanaians,” he said.

Mr. Awingobit recalled a similar incident in 2016 during President Mahama’s first term when, under then Transport Minister Fifi Kwetey, shipping lines introduced terminal handling charges. He said the current Minister of Transport had met the shipping lines and directed them to charge GH¢720 and stop taking GH¢5,000 and GH¢10,000 from importers, as no work done warrants such amounts.

Mr. Awingobit argued that there is no ship owner in Ghana, and that those operating at the ports are merely agents representing their principals who carry Ghanaian cargo, yet they sit on the boards of key maritime institutions.

He said the disregard for duly issued state directives, coupled with what the Association considers a growing pattern of disrespect towards industry associations and their members, provides sufficient grounds for the President to reconsider the continuous representation of ship owners and agents on the boards. “They don’t need to be there for disrespecting our country,” he added.

Report by Bernard K Dadzie Greater Accra