IEAG calls for Chief of Staff’s urgent intervention to tackle port congestion

The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has expressed serious concerns over the worsening congestion at the country's ports, urging the Chief of Staff to intervene urgently. The association highlighted systemic issues spanning customs processes, inspections, regulatory charges, terminal operations, and truck turnaround times.

IEAG's Executive Secretary, Samson Asaki Awingobit, called for a special government team comprising key ministers and port agencies to implement an immediate action plan to decongest the ports. Among the key issues raised was the high rate of containers being sent for physical examination, with 74% of scanned containers routed to the red channel for intrusive checks, contributing significantly to delays.

The association also cited the breakdown of the joint inspection regime and rising regulatory fees as contributing factors to the congestion. If left unaddressed, the situation could worsen during the December peak trading period, potentially causing import trade to shift to neighboring countries like Côte d'Ivoire.

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