President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been encouraged by the Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA) to postpone signing the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024 until important issues expressed by stakeholders have been addressed. On Monday, July 29, 2024, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Bill, 2024, was approved by Parliament on its third reading on the House floor.
The goal of the law is to control shippers’ commercial operations; it specifically targets unjust and disproportionate fees that impede traders who use Ghana’s land borders, airports, and sea for international trade. On August 21, GUTA, through its president, Dr. Joseph Obeng, released a statement in which they voiced worry about the lack of consultation with pertinent parties prior to the bill’s enactment.
Parliament claims that the law will promote accountability for the lawful flow of international trade cargo across all of Ghana’s borders by bringing transparency to the setting of port fees. Furthermore, it seeks to improve the sector’s overall financial contribution to the national coffers and establish Ghana as the preferred transit trade channel for her landlocked neighbors, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. But according to GUTA, President Akufo-Addo must hold off on signing the measure until all of the concerns are addressed.
SOURCE: https://dew360.net
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Below is the full statement
