A Committee consisting of members from the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, the Global Cold Chain Alliance, Ministry of Food and Agriculture and representation from some import and export groups has been formed to monitor and ensure improvements in Ghana’s Temperature Control Cargo industry.
The Committee was formed at the end of a meeting facilitated by the Ghana Shippers Authority on 16th May 2022. This is in response to challenges faced by stakeholders especially Ghanaian exporters who require the services of temperature control cargo facility operators.
Some of the concerns reiterated by exporters at the meeting include the lack of capacity building and training opportunities for temperature control cargo operators to upgrade themselves on the changing trends in the industry, the lack of temperature control facilities for the transport of perishables from the farm gate to the airport, limited cold rooms at the airport, delay in perishable cargo movement at the ports, inconsistencies in temperature regulation of perishable cargo and lack of adequate number of cargo planes to transport goods from Ghana among others.
To this end, the stakeholders have called for regular capacity building and training for Temperature Control Cargo Operators in order to improve the quality of goods exported from Ghana, especially temperature sensitive items such as perishable fruits and vegetables.
Head of Shippers Services and Trade Facilitation at the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Mrs. Monica Josiah charged the leadership of Global Cold Chain Alliance present at the meeting to “find practicable solutions to these challenges raised by the exporters”. She highlighted the importance of such meetings not only to the exporters but the Cold Chain facility providers as well.
“It is important that we discuss these challenges to in order that the shippers do not incur losses because sometimes before the goods arrive at the destination some get damaged. This meeting with the Global Cold Chain Alliance is important because they will tell us what the issues are” she noted.
Vice President of the Global Cold Chain Alliance Manuel Cebrera Kabana gave assurances that his organization will work to ensure that the challenges faced by Ghanaian exporters are resolved.
