Freight Forwarders roar over new port charges

Freight Forwarders in Ghana are kicking against the latest hike in Port charges.

Starr Business a few day ago broke the news that charges at the ports are being increased between 5 to 20 percent from July 1.

The Ghana Port and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has attributed the increase to rise in operational costs, especially petroleum and utility tariffs.

But speaking to Starr Business' Osei Owusu Amankwaah, the Chairman of the Concerned Freight Forwarder and Traders Association of Ghana, Dennis Amfo Sefah, said the increment cannot be justified.

“For stevedoring they are increasing it by five percent across board, for export they are increasing it 10 percent across board, shore handling they are increasing it 20 percent across board,” Sefah noted.

He believes the increase in shore handling will have a cascading effect on the nation’s economy as commodity prices will shoot up.

“If they increase shore handling by 20 percent, it means every container you clear from our port the charges you are used to paying will go up by 20 percent. And if an importer incurs an additional cost of 20 percent he used to pay then know that they are going to calculate this and put it on the commodity”.

The Association is therefore planning a protest if the decision is not suspended.

“Total suspension for now because we are already being burdened with so much in this country. Government is doing its best to see how come it can release some of these things off us. So we can’t just wake up the next morning and the GPHA will slap us with increase in port charges,” Sefah voiced out.