The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), Mr. Kwesi Baffour Sarpong, has inaugurated the Southern Zonal Stakeholder Committee of GSA, urging its members to explore innovative approaches to streamline processes to reduce shipping costs and facilitate the speedy resolution of challenges associated with the clearance of goods. The inauguration was done on Tuesday, 21st May 2024, at the Shippers’ House in Accra.

The Southern Zonal Stakeholder Committee, one of five (5) of GSA’s Zonal Stakeholder Committees across the country, was set up to provide a forum for stakeholders who provide services in the varied areas of specialty in the shipping value chain to confer, share ideas, and explore avenues to facilitate an enabling environment for shippers to thrive. Membership of the Committee is exclusive to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as well as shipping service providers and / or associations. They include the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Ghana Police Service, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), National Security Ministry, among others. Their scope of operation in the Greater Accra Region.

Other Zonal Stakeholder Committees, yet to be inaugurated, will focus on other parts of the country. For instance, the Eastern Zonal Stakeholder Committee’s mandate will cover the Volta, Oti, and Eastern Regions, the Middle Zonal Stakeholder Committee will manage the Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono, and Bono East Regions, while the Western Zonal Stakeholder Committee will oversee the Central, Western, and Western North Regions.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Head of the Corporate Affairs of GSA, Ms. Bernice Natue, the CEO, Mr. Baffour Sarpong outlined the Committee's terms of reference to include:

1.       Exploring innovative ways to simplify and promote transparency in processes and requirements for cargo shipment across all modes to ensure compliance by shippers.

2.       Exploring avenues to reduce the cost of cargo shipping / clearing across all modes.

3.       Enhancing service standards by stakeholders in the shipping value chain.

4.       Deliberating on and finding solutions to challenges that impede cargo shipment and clearance at seaports, airports, and land borders.

5.       Collating and analyzing the impact of new or updated procedures, policies, and laws in the shipping value chain on shippers and the industry.

6.       Liaising between the GSA and stakeholders in the shipping value chain to ensure seamless communication in matters relating to shippers.

The Head of the Southern Zone of GSA and Chairman of the Southern Zonal Stakeholder Committee, Mr. Charles Sey, noted that the creation of the Committee has separated shippers from the service providers to enable focused deliberation on matters that pertain to the delivery of service akin to global standards to facilitate effectiveness and efficiency in the value chain of the shipping and logistics sector.

Members of the Committee welcomed the initiative to introduce exclusivity in the forums for deliberation by the various actors in the shipping and logistics sector, and took turns to express their readiness to work together within the scope of the Terms of Reference to achieve the overarching goal to reduce the cost of doing business at the port of Tema. A representative from the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Lydia Odai-Tettey assured the forum of the GMA’s support to the noble cause and noted that, the organization is fully prepared to contribute to the growth and development of the shipping industry by actively participating in the Committee's role.