The second edition of the Ghana Shippers Awards came off Friday June 25, 2018 at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra with many shippers and providers of shipping services winning awards for their contributions to the growth of the maritime and logistics sector.
Two members of the Abossey-Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association, Messrs Emmanuel Nyarko and Kow Baffoe Essilfie of Kofata Motors and Baffoe Essilfie Enterprise respectively received honorary awards for their roles in the growth of the spare parts industry.
Other honorary award winners of the night from the Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA) were Vida Afriyie Owusu Kwateng of Serboat Electricals Co. Ltd from the Ghana Electrical Dealers Association; Messrs Paul Oscar Ankoma and Emmanuel Asante of Oscarpak Enterprise Ltd and Andy ‘D’ Enterprise from the Used Clothing Dealers Association; and Messrs Gabriel Kwabena and Duke Owusu Ansah of Gafkwa Phones and Rutabe Phones from the Mobile Phone and Accessories Dealers Association
A total of 63 awards were given on the night with 19 awarded to importers and exporters for their significant contribution to the growth of the trade and transport sector.
The event was organised by the Globe Productions in partnership with Ghana Shippers’ Authority and Graphic Business to recognise individuals and companies that play key roles in Ghana’s international trade and transport chain. The Awards isaimed at distinguishing excellence in the trade and transport industry in order to instil in the industry players a sense of fulfilment and greater zeal to achieve higher laurels, encourage more transparency and compliance with laid down procedures in the trade and transport industry.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), Ms Benonita Bismarck, in her welcome address stated that the Awards which cut across varied sectors including road, ocean and air transportation, freight forwarding, shipping lines and agents, government agencies, insurance and financial institutions is an improvement on last year’s categorisation.
Madam Benonita added that Ghana’s seaborne trade volume increased by 15.9 per cent in 2017 over the year 2016.“Statistics for the first quarter of 2018 is also indicating an increase of about 28 per centover the same period in 2017.”
She attributed the impressive increase in throughput to political stability, increased confidence in the economy and the implementation of trade facilitation reforms in the country’s trade and transport industry.
The Transport Minister, Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, who was the special guest said anambitious port reform programme like the Paperless port system rolled out by government in September, 2017, was aimed at ensuring efficiency in Ghana’s port operations. The introduction of this system has led to a significant reduction in the time and cost of doing business at the ports.
He mentioned that current data available to government through the GCNet System on the success and efficiency of the Paperless Port System indicates that about 43 per cent of containers are cleared within 24 hours and about 70% of them cleared within 72 hours. Data from the GSA has also shown a decrease in the payment of demurrage and rent at the ports.
