Importers, Exporters Association describes GUTA’s position on Shippers Authority bill as ‘surprising’

The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has branded claims by the Ghana Union of Traders Association that the Ghana Shippers Authority Amendment Bill leaves out crucial issues as unfounded since key stakeholders were engaged in the deliberation process.

Speaking on the development, the President of the association, Mr. Sampson Asaka Awingobit explained that the bill which was passed in parliament in July seeks to streamline fees and charges within the industry.

“For me or for us, I think that this current parent act has come to streamline the shipping operations.

“I am talking about the carriers who are unduly taking the vulnerability of the importer and taking the vulnerability of the importer by charging them certain fees and charges. Sometimes when the importer pays his or her duty at the port and cannot raise the amount to pay their local handling charges, the carriers or the shipping line will hold the cargo. Even the President of Ghana cannot even ask them to release it,” he observed.

He insisted that GUTA had been part of discussions on the bill when they started.

“They were the first key stakeholders they have engaged and out of their engagement, my colleagues in that group actually endorsed the Parent Act as it was amended. The second day was when the Ghana Shippers Authority also engaged the freight forwarders and the COFAC which had the membership of GIFF, CUBAG, and ACHA. Then of course the importers and exporters association and my colleagues from the Trade Advocacy Group, that’s TAG, were all part,” he noted.

His comments come amidst calls by the Ghana Union of Traders Association urging President Akufo-Addo not to sign the bill into law.

Among other concerns, GUTA maintained the traders association was left out of key negotiations on the bill.

Mr. Awingobit defended the bill as “supportive” to importers.