The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) have reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate in a bid to reduce the cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports. This initiative aims to enhance the efficiency and attractiveness of the ports to both local and transit customers, ultimately fostering socio-economic growth in line with the government’s economic reset agenda.

This commitment was highlighted during a working visit by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Professor Ransford Gyampo, to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, to interact with the Director General of GPHA, Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono and his Management team on issues of mutual interests and strategic approaches to minimizing the cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports.

The engagement afforded the two heads the opportunity to deliberate on issues affecting the attractiveness of Ghana’s Ports and the huge role it plays in the nation’s maritime industry.

During the discussions, Prof. Gyampo emphasized the need for both institutions to identify operational bottlenecks and implement sustainable solutions to mitigate delays. He noted that seeming inefficiencies in the system often lead to additional costs for importers, which are ultimately transferred to consumers.

“As I went about visiting the various stakeholders, one thing that was coming out clearly was the cost of doing business, which was so high. President Mamaha said it openly that he will do his best to ensure that the cost of doing business is minimised. I believe that if you and I work together, we will be able to minimise the cost so people can have some peace of mind in doing their business,” he said.

In his response, the DG for GPHA Brigadier General Tanye-Kolono reiterated his earlier call on the Transport Minister to assist in the elimination of VAT and Covid-19 taxes from transit goods as well as certain taxes on transshipment goods. ‘On transshipment goods for instance, I don’t understand why goods that are spending just some minutes in Ghana’s ports and are on their way to other ports should be taxed. Same applies to transit goods. My interactions with transit agents and clients have shown that they have a strong preference for Ghana’s Ports but are inundated with taxes on transit goods and this can’t be continued.”

The GPHA DG reaffirmed his faith in the Government’s resolve to boost a 24-hour economy and said he was hopeful that such taxes would eventually be removed by the government to ensure the swift clearance of goods at the ports to alleviate the financial burden on importers.

He called for frequent meetings by the two institutions on practical ways of making Ghana’s ports attractive to support the government’s 24-hour economy and job creation agenda. “I believe we must prioritize the national interest and the welfare of our stakeholders to ensure optimal service delivery. By working together, we can create a more competitive and business-friendly environment at our ports,” he affirmed.

The collaboration between GPHA and GSA marks a significant step toward making Ghana’s ports more competitive within the sub-region, supporting trade facilitation, and contributing to national economic growth.