GUTA tells Akufo-Addo not to sign Ghana Shippers Authority Act, 2024 Bill until the critical issues are addressed
The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has said that traders would not accept any import licensing or permit regime.
In a statement, GUTA President Joseph Obeng appealled to the President of the Republic not to assent to the Ghana Shippers Authority Act, 2024 until some critical issues raised on the Act by stakeholders are resolved.
The issues he listed included the issue of registration of shippers and shipping service providers were not discussed with us to make our input as stakeholders in the shipping industry; submission of notice of shipment was also not discussed with stakeholders for their input; the final draft was issued to stakeholders only after Parliament had approved the Bill; issues raised on the suspension of registration, renewal of certificate of registration, cancellation of registration and outright rejection, which are only related to permits and licenses to operate as importers have not been resolved with stakeholders; the Advance Shipment Information System that had been resisted and withdrawn by the Government in the past is now being reintroduced in the Act. Our position on that has not changed. Moreover, this information sought by the GSA is of no relevance to their operation.
For these reasons, he said, the Ghana Shippers Authority had agreed to their concerns and promised that as the Act has already been passed by Parliament, they would use Legislative Instruments (LIs) to correct any defect or anomaly in the operationalization of the Act. However, our consultations suggest that LIs cannot override an Act, hence our call on the President of the Republic not to assent to the Act until all issues raised are resolved.
Parliament passed the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Bill, 2024, into law on Monday, 29th July 2024 following its successful 3rd reading on the floor of the House.
Among others, the law which amends its 50 years old establishment law, NRCD 254 (1974) will regulate commercial activities of shippers, and will primarily address the issue of unfair and excessive charges that burden traders who use Ghana’s sea and air ports, as well as land borders to ply their international trade.
It will introduce transparency in the determination of port fees and charges, and will by that, ensure that there is accountability in the legal movement of international trade cargo across all of borders of Ghana.
It further aims to make Ghana a preferred transit trade channel for her landlocked neighbours, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger; and overall, enhance the sector’s revenue contribution to the national purse.
Empowered by the new law, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority will be enabled to better adapt to emerging trends and complexities within the shipping and logistics industry, protect the interests of shippers and shipping service providers, and improve its regulatory oversight of the entire industry.
