The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has called on the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to urgently resolve reported delays in the issuance of import codes and permits for regulated consignments at the country’s ports.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, and signed by its Executive Secretary, Samson Asaki Awingobit, the Association said it has received several complaints from members of the importing community whose consignments have remained uncleared due to inability to obtain the required FDA approvals.
According to the IEAG, the delays are preventing importers from progressing through the clearance chain, including completion of customs clearance and taking delivery of cargo.
Support for Regulation, Concern Over Bottlenecks
The Association said it fully recognizes and supports the FDA’s statutory mandate to protect public health by regulating food, drugs, cosmetics, household chemicals, medical devices and other products entering Ghana.
It noted that the FDA’s own published procedures indicate that its Centre for Import and Export Control (CIEC) operates at the Tema Port and that permit control is integrated into the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), with verification and final release only possible after permit approval.
“IEAG therefore does not question the necessity of regulatory controls. Our concern is that where a regulatory process becomes delayed beyond the expected operational timeline, the consequences are borne disproportionately by the importer and ultimately passed through the supply chain,” the statement said.
Mounting Costs
The IEAG warned that a delay at one point in the port clearance process holds up several subsequent processes, including declaration, duty payment, customs release, terminal release and physical evacuation of containers.
The Association outlined the practical consequences of prolonged cargo dwell time after the free period expires, including terminal storage charges, shipping-line demurrage, container detention charges, additional handling and examination fees, increased financing costs, and additional trucking and logistics costs.
“When cargo remains in the port because one component of the clearance chain is unable to progress, the additional cost can accumulate across the entire logistics chain,” it stressed.
The IEAG further cautioned that importers cannot indefinitely absorb such costs without passing them on to consumers, at a time when businesses and households are already sensitive to the cost of goods and services.
IEAG’s Demands
The Association is therefore calling on the FDA to:
1. Immediately identify the cause of the reported delays and promptly resolve any technical, operational or administrative challenges.
2. Expedite processing of pending applications involving consignments already landed and accruing charges.
3. Where the challenge is system-related or linked to ICUMS integration, urgently engage relevant technical agencies to resolve it.
4. Provide clear communication to importers, customs house agents and port stakeholders on the nature of the challenge and expected resolution timeline.
5. Consider appropriate relief or administrative intervention for compliant importers who have incurred avoidable costs through no fault of their own.
“Ghana’s ports are not merely revenue collection points. They are critical gateways for trade, industry, manufacturing, distribution and national economic activity. Every additional day that a legitimate consignment remains unnecessarily uncleared has a cost implication,” the IEAG stated.
The Association reiterated its commitment to engage the FDA, Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, shipping lines, terminal operators and other stakeholders to find practical solutions, but urged that regulation and trade facilitation must operate together.
“Effective regulation should protect the Ghanaian consumer while an efficient clearance system protects the importer, trader, manufacturer and ultimately the consumer from unnecessary cost escalation,” it added.
