Pineapple shipment halted

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Sunday 23rd April, 1995 prevented the shipment of hundreds of cartons of pineapples bound for Europe. Consequently, an aircraft from DAS Air Cargo which arrived in Accra for the cargo valued at $19,800 was made to return to Belgian empty.

The pineapples belong to Combine Farms Ltd whose Executive Chairman Mr D. O. Safo told the press that the orders for the suspension in shipping came when his workers were moving the pineapples onto the tarmac for shipment.

It will be recalled that the handling of all cargo in Ghana was placed by the NDC government under the control of a company reportedly owned by a Syrian/Lebanese. However, Mr Safo took the government to court and won his case. Despite his court success, his shipping activities has been subject to disruptions from official quarters. The question which this issue poses is: how will Ghana develop the export potentials of its non- traditional sector if such obstacles are placed in the path of Ghanaian entrepreneurs?