The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has called for an urgent Chief of Staff-led intervention to tackle worsening congestion and operational bottlenecks at Ghana's ports, warning that Ghana risks losing import trade to neighbouring countries.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Monday, September 14, 2026, the Executive Secretary of the Association, Mr Samson Asaki Awingobit, said the current congestion has become systemic and requires immediate high-level government action.
He said barely two weeks after its last engagement with the media, the Association was compelled to call another press conference because the challenges confronting businesses at the ports continue to evolve daily.
Mr Awingobit said every disruption within the port ecosystem, whether related to cargo clearance, valuation, shipping lines, terminal operations or regulatory processes, has a direct impact on the cost and efficiency of doing business in Ghana.
He said following engagements with importers, freight forwarders, customs house agents and transport operators, the IEAG's assessment is that the congestion cannot be attributed to a single factor or institution, but cuts across customs valuation and examination processes, inspection protocols, regulatory charges, terminal operations, truck turnaround times and inter-agency coordination.
The Association has therefore recommended that the Chief of Staff urgently convene and lead a high-level delegation comprising the Ministers for Finance, Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, and Transport, together with relevant port and regulatory agencies, to undertake comprehensive stakeholder engagement and establish an immediate action plan.
IEAG expressed concern over the increasing number of containers being routed for physical and intrusive examination.
Mr Awingobit said under the risk-based customs clearance architecture, scanning and risk profiling are intended to distinguish between low-risk and high-risk consignments. However, preliminary checks indicate that about 74 percent of containers undergoing scanning are being routed to the red channel for physical examination.
He said while the Association is not opposed to legitimate examination of high-risk cargo, a system that routinely channels such a high proportion of cargo into intrusive examination risks becoming a congestion-generating mechanism.
The Association called for an immediate data-driven review of Customs' selectivity and risk-management parameters.
Breakdown Of Joint Inspection
Another major contributor to congestion, according to IEAG, is the breakdown of the joint inspection and coordinated examination regime involving Customs and other state regulatory agencies.
He said historically, agencies including Customs, FDA, NACOC and National Security coordinated inspections, but that approach is not consistently being observed, leading to multiple inspection cycles for the same container.
Mr Awingobit also alleged that some operators are being asked to make unofficial payments of up to GH¢1,000 to avoid additional inspections, describing such practices as a serious threat to Ghana's trade facilitation agenda.
The Association also raised concerns about significant increases in regulatory, inspection and certification fees by agencies including the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which it says have become a congestion driver.
On haulage, Mr Awingobit said truck drivers are reluctant to pick up containers from certain terminals, including MSC-operated facilities, due to excessive turnaround times, which reduces the effective capacity of the national haulage fleet.
Threat To Trade Competitiveness
IEAG warned that the situation could worsen as the country approaches the December peak trading period, leading to increased demurrage, storage and logistics costs.
He disclosed that some importers are already exploring routing their cargo through the Port of Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire due to delays in Ghana.
"Once an importer establishes a reliable alternative supply chain through another regional gateway, winning that business back becomes extremely difficult," he said.
Petition Over SOAAG Board Representation
The Association also petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to reconsider the continued representation of the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG) on the boards of the Ghana Maritime Authority and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.
IEAG cited persistent disregard for state directives, including a regulatory directive and High Court ruling setting a GH¢720 per TEU ceiling for Container Administrative Charges, while importers continue to bear about US$165 per container.
The Association recalled a similar confrontation in 2016 over Terminal Handling Charges (THC), which required presidential intervention.
It said organisations that benefit from representation on state boards must demonstrate institutional responsibility and regulatory compliance.
IEAG proposed the establishment of measurable port performance targets, including maximum turnaround times for examinations, valuation disputes and cargo release, to ensure accountability across the port ecosystem.
