The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, customs agents, and other concerned stakeholders staged a protest in Tema, Greater Accra Region, to voice their frustrations over what they describe as excessive and exploitative charges at the ports.
The protesting groups argue that these charges are making business operations increasingly difficult.
After marching to various shipping lines to deliver their petition, the protesters also submitted copies to the Ministries of Transport and Trade and Industry.
Speaking to journalists, some freight forwarders expressed strong dissatisfaction with the current port operations, stating that the high fees are pushing importers to explore alternative options.
“We are protesting because the shipping lines are cheating us; they are killing our work. Most of our importers are now using the Togo port because of the charges we are facing here,” one freight forwarder said.
Another freight forwarder, Bismark Ocansey, recounted a recent incident where a malfunctioning APS scanner delayed his container’s processing, resulting in a demurrage charge of approximately GH¢10,000, despite the delay not being his fault.
“It is high time we let the shipping lines know they are cheating us,” Ocansey stated, adding that he had to go to great lengths to explain the situation to his importer, who was frustrated by the additional costs.