The Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) is calling for the accelerated implementation of the Time Release Study (TRS) as a key strategy to reduce the cost of doing business in Ghana, particularly within the country’s ports and trade corridors.
This call was made during a stakeholder committee meeting held at the Ghana Shippers’ House on Friday, 1st August 2025.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GSA, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, emphasised that the TRS is an essential tool for identifying and addressing delays in the clearance of goods—delays that continue to inflate the cost of international trade.
The TRS, endorsed by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and referenced in Article 7.6 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, measures the average time it takes for goods to be released from the control of Customs. Ghana conducted its first national TRS in 2022, with technical support from the WCO, and the findings highlighted significant inefficiencies within the cargo clearance chain.
The Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) Customs Division led the 2022 TRS exercise, whose results informed key reform proposals underscored the need for regular monitoring of clearance times. However, sentiments expressed during the meeting indicated that little progress had been made in implementing the recommended reforms to improve port clearance processes.
According to Prof. Gyampo, delays in clearing goods—sometimes lasting up to 70 days—lead to costly demurrage charges. “These costs are largely paid to foreign shipping agents and do not benefit the state. More importantly, they are eventually passed on to the ordinary Ghanaian through increased prices of goods,” he stated.
He stressed that if Ghana is to realise President Mahama’s vision of lowering the cost of doing business, then practical tools like the TRS must be prioritised. “We cannot allow the perception that Ghana is too expensive for trade to persist. That will only drive investment and cargo volumes to competing ports in the region,” he added.
John Defor, Co-Chair of the Country Programme Oversight Committee of TradeMark Africa and Director of Policy at the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), told the media that although full implementation of the TRS is yet to commence, signals from the institutions responsible have been positive.
He added, “Time and cost are critical factors for us in the private sector when it comes to doing business. In a 24-hour economy, we expect a significant reduction in the average time it takes to clear goods at the port. In a business environment where companies operate around the clock, it is essential that raw materials are cleared swiftly to maintain steady production cycles. Delays disrupt operations, increase costs, and undermine competitiveness.”
The Head of Trade Facilitation at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Mr Alex Mensah, also expressed government’s commitment to the full implementation of the TRS and urged all stakeholders to lend their support to the process.
Other institutions that participated in the meeting included TradeMark Africa and Borderless Alliance.
