As part of its mandate of providing a platform for consultation between shippers and the various government agencies who provide services in the clearance of goods, the Ghana Shippers Authority held a talk show on 17th August 2017 to sensitize shippers on the introduction of the paperless transactions at the ports of Ghana.
The Chief Executive Officer Ms, Benonita Bismarck in her address mentioned that shippers are confronted with a myriad of problems in clearing their cargoes from the port. Problems such as upliftment of Transactional Values on the CCVR, delays in responding to appeals by shippers, high level of downtimes with Tradenet System, difficulty in locating containers, uncoordinated examination of goods, leading to delays, among others. All these contribute to high dwell time in Ghana that translate into high demurrage and rent charges.
She said Ghana’s ports going Paperless is in a bid to strengthen port operational efficiency and create the environment for trade to be facilitated without unnecessary encumbrances, as systems are expected to be automated with services and procedures streamlined with minimum human intervention.
A Deputy Commissioner of GRA, Mr. Richard Yaw Tsei, a panelist on the show, said Customs was ready to go paperless and advised shippers to submit the clearing documents in advance before the goods arrive at the port. Other panelists on the show were the General Manager in charge of Corporate Affairs & Marketing at Ghana Ports & Harbors Authority Mrs. Esther Gyebi Donkor, Mr. Agyaaku Nkansah, GCnet and Alhaji Lmoro Aryana from the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG).
Participants at the talk show included Importers and Exporters, Freight Forwarders, members of the Ship-owners and Agents, Ghana Union of Traders Association Terminal Operators and other stakeholders in the maritime industry.
