Shippers Authority Bill aims to curb excessive port charges and boost local participation …as it nears passage in parliament

The passage of the Ghana Shippers Authority Bill, 2024, aims to address the excessive charges that burden port users and ensure that port revenues contribute to Ghana’s economic growth, a parliamentary report has revealed.

According to the Committee on Roads and Transportation’s report on the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Bill, 2024, one of the primary rationales for its passage is to ensure effective regulation that will guarantee fair pricing and charges. The report highlights that the Bill will empower the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to control fees at the ports and promote the participation of local firms in the sector.

The Committee noted that exorbitant charges imposed by some multinational companies at the ports hinder business growth and contribute to rising prices in the country. This issue is worsened by the lack of legislation empowering the Shippers’ Authority to regulate port charges. The dominance of multinational companies also limits local participation.

The Committee emphasizes the need to review the existing legal framework to empower the Authority to regulate the sector effectively. The passage of the Bill is expected to promote transparency, accountability, and ensure that port revenues contribute to Ghana’s economic growth.

Currently at the consideration stage, the Bill is likely to be approved before the legislature adjourns. It aims to enable the Authority to adapt to emerging trends and complexities within the shipping industry, better protect the interests of shippers and shipping service providers, and improve regulatory oversight.

The Bill seeks to establish the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to regulate the commercial activities of shippers and shipping service providers in the shipment, storage, and delivery of international trade cargo by sea, air, and land. It will ensure compliance with established standards and guidelines in the commercial shipping sector.

The regulation of Ghana’s international transit trade has also become a concern. Since 1987, the Authority has spearheaded the development, monitoring, and facilitation of transit trade through Ghana’s corridors. However, a legal framework to regulate transit trade is lacking.

The Bill aims to amend existing legislation to enable the Authority to monitor and regulate transit trade effectively. The establishment of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority seeks to balance the interests of shippers and service providers, ensuring efficiency and competitiveness in international trade.

By Eugene Davis