President John Dramani Mahama has taken decisive action against shipping companies in Ghana over the high fees they charge their customers.
This development follows complaints submitted to the Presidency by the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders regarding the excessive costs imposed on their operations by shipping lines.
In a speech delivered on his behalf on July 11, the President directed the Ministers for Transport, and Justice and Attorney General to present a bill to Parliament in the coming weeks. The bill is expected to regulate and approve charges in the shipping industry, thereby addressing the high cost of operations faced by indigenous Ghanaian freight forwarders and businesses.
He described the imposition of unapproved fees as illegal, emphasising that such charges had not been ratified by Parliament.
“I have given express directives to Hon. Joseph Nikpe and Hon. Dr. Dominic Ayine to take immediate steps to rectify this anomaly. A bill must be laid before Parliament to deliberate on and set approved charges for the industry,” the President stated.
“This action is necessary to bring relief to hardworking businesses in Ghana, many of whom are struggling to stay afloat due to these fees and their crippling effect on revenue generation for the state.
“The law is clear: any fees for transactions must be approved by Parliament. Any charges levied outside this process are a direct affront to the laws of Ghana.”
President Mahama reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the growth and expansion of businesses in Ghana to enhance revenue mobilization and national development.
“My administration is committed to supporting Ghanaian businesses to grow and expand. This will create more jobs for our economically active population and generate revenue for the state’s developmental activities.
“The economy must grow beyond its current state to accelerate the recovery we seek in the medium to long term — but we must not cut corners to achieve this.”
The meeting concluded with representatives from the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders and captains of industry pledging their support to help the government transform Ghana’s economy into one of the best-performing on the continent and globally.
–
Story by Sika Togoh |univers.ug.edu.gh
