Port stakeholders, customs agents to protest excessive shipping charges today

Key stakeholders at Ghana’s ports are planning a protest today, Tuesday, September 24, at 9 a.m., targeting the shipping lines operating in the country.

Edward Akrong, the former President of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), explained during an interview on Citi FM’s *Eyewitness News* with Umaru Sanda Amadu that the protest is aimed at putting a stop to hidden fees regularly imposed on shipping community members for cargo handling.

Participants in the protest include members from various groups such as the Association of Customs House Agents of Ghana, the Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana, and the Customs Brokers Association of Ghana.

Akrong highlighted that the cost to release a 40-foot container by the shipping lines has skyrocketed to nearly $100,000, a financial strain the stakeholders are eager to address.

“This protest is about the shipping lines and the unfair charges they impose in our ports. It is against the treatment we’ve been subjected to by these shipping lines,” he stated.

“They [shipping lines] keep introducing new fees, and it now costs almost $100,000 to release a 40-foot container. On top of that, there are hidden charges, which is unacceptable,” Akrong emphasized.

He also pointed out that despite multiple engagements with the Ministry of Transport, including letters from five of his predecessors, the issue remains unresolved. “We’ve raised this concern many times, and now is the time to put an end to it,” he concluded.

Source:dailymailgh.com