The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Ransford Gyampo, has announced that his office will engage in a key meeting with the leadership of the Joint Association of Port Transport Drivers (JAPTU) at 12 pm on Monday, April 13.

This meeting is aimed at addressing the growing concerns raised by the group. The meeting comes amid escalating tensions between the Shippers’ Authority and JAPTU members, who have threatened to take industrial action.

JAPTU members have warned of a sit-down strike from April 14 to April 17, citing what they call unfair and overly burdensome regulatory measures introduced by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority.

They argue that these new policies, if not reviewed or revoked, could severely impact their operations and livelihoods.

Ransford Gyampo reaffirmed the Authority's commitment to fostering a cooperative and efficient working environment for all stakeholders within the port sector.

He emphasised that the Ghana Shippers’ Authority does not intend to ignore the concerns of port transport drivers but is eager to collaborate with them to find sustainable solutions.

“We are here to represent their interests. How can you advocate for someone you don’t know? That’s why the Shippers’ Act mandates that, for effective regulation and oversight, we must officially register them,” Gyampo said in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, April 13.

He also addressed JAPTU’s concerns about re-registration, noting that while their leadership claimed to have already registered their members, the Shippers’ Authority’s efforts to re-register them were seen as redundant.

Mr Gyampo expressed surprise at the threat of a strike, especially after a phone conversation on Sunday, April 12, with JAPTU’s leadership, in which they agreed to meet at 12 pm on Monday to discuss the issues and work towards a resolution.