Heavy-duty equipment operators petition Ghana Shippers’ Authority

Members of the National Association of Heavy-Duty Equipment Operators, Ghana (NAHEOG), led by its president Dominic Kofi Eyiah, have petitioned the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA).

The group have called for urgent reforms to address port safety risks, transparency in the GRA Customs auction process, professionalism among freight forwarders and National Security Operatives at the Ports and the extension of free days for heavy-duty equipment.

The petition was made during a meeting with GSA in Accra, where members urged for stronger regulatory intervention to ease operational bottlenecks that increase costs and delays for importers.

They proposed an extension of the current seven-day free period for clearing goods to ten days to enhance the competitiveness of shippers. NAHEOG also suggested incentive-based rebates, such as discounts for importers who clear within three to five days, to help reduce port congestion.

Another key concern raised was safety at the Golden Jubilee Terminal in Tema, which members described as hazardous for clearing agents and other port users. Operators cited accident risks involving heavy machinery and alleged recurrent pilfering of batteries, headlights, side mirrors, and spare tyres from imported equipment.

The meeting also examined the auctioning of uncleared goods after the statutory 60-day period. NAHEOG argued that original importers should be granted the right of first refusal before auctions and called for an independent audit mechanism to oversee auctions conducted by the Ghana Revenue Authority.

Operators further questioned the professionalism of some Customs House Agents (CHA) and National Security Operatives at the Ports alleging issues of misconduct, extortion, and weak accountability.

Monica Josiah, Head of Shipper Services & Trade Facilitation of GSA, reiterated GSA’s mandate per the Ghana Shippers Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122) as the regulation of the commercial activities of shippers, including importers, exporters, transit shippers, and shipping service providers.

She indicated that a draft Legislative Instrument (L.I) had been submitted to the Ministry of Transport following the passage of the Act to among others operationalise some aspects of the Act.

She noted that L.I would strengthen GSA’s regulatory oversight of the commercial shipping sector and expressed the hope that the registration of shipping service providers and the approval of service standards as stipulated in Act 1122 will go a long way to address some of the issues outlined above.

She explained that disposal of uncleared goods at the ports is governed by Customs laws to prevent revenue loss and port congestion. She noted however that a number of importers and shipping service providers had complained about the transparency of the process.

As a result, a multi-stakeholder committee chaired by GSA reviewed the existing disposal process and informed NAHEOG that the recommendations of the Committee aimed at improving transparency are pending implementation. Regarding the extension of the free days, she advised NAHEOG members to procure more free days at origin prior to shipment to minimise demurrage on containers at destination after the elapse of the mandatory seven free days.

She urged shippers to document incidents at the port with evidence, and lodge timely complaints for redress of their challenges; and added that some of their concerns required consultative fora with relevant stakeholders to address them.

Josiah reaffirmed GSA’s commitment to transparency, competitiveness, and efficiency in Ghana’s shipping sector and noted that as part of GSA’s activities for 2026, NAHEOG members would be sensitised on shipping procedures and their rights per Act 1122.

In furtherance of the GSA and NAHEOG relations and to expedite the resolution of complaints, a dedicated virtual platform was created.