The Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), with support from the Ministry of Transport (MoT), successfully secured the release of six Ghanaian cargo trucks that had been detained at the Dakola border in Burkina Faso.
The trucks were initially held in April 2024 by Burkinabe Customs (Douanes) on suspicion of carrying prohibited goods from Ghana into Burkina Faso.
Earlier, in June 2024, the GSA had intervened in the detention of 20 trucks flagged by Burkinabe authorities for transporting unwholesome cargo. This followed unsuccessful attempts by the Joint Association of Port Transport Unions-Ghana (JAPTU-Ghana) to resolve the issue.
To address the situation, the GSA and the Ministry of Transport held a series of stakeholder meetings at the Dakola border and Tema port, working in collaboration with their Burkinabe counterpart, the Conseil Burkinabe Des Chargeurs (CBC). Their collective efforts led to the release of the detained trucks.
On August 20, 2024, Frederick Atogiyire, Northern Zonal Manager of the GSA, led a team to meet with Dr. Kassoum Traore, Director General of the CBC, to discuss the situation. Dr. Traore explained that Burkinabe law allows for the confiscation of both the cargo and trucks when unwholesome goods are involved. However, he assured the team that progress had been made, and an out-of-court settlement with the shipper paved the way for the trucks’ release.
During a media briefing in Tamale, Mr. Atogiyire announced that the trucks had been efficiently processed by Burkinabe Customs and were able to resume their journey to Ouagadougou on August 25, 2024. They returned to Ghana on August 29, 2024. He expressed gratitude for the Burkinabe authorities’ efforts in facilitating the trucks’ release.
