A delegation from the Transit Shipper Committee led by the Deputy Chief Executive of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Ms Sylvia Asana Dauda-Owu paid a courtesy call on the Inspector General Police, Mr. David Asante-Apeatu, at the Ghana Police Headquarters on 19th July, 2017 Accra.
The purpose of the visit was to request the support of the IGP in reducing the bottlenecks along the stretch of Ghana’s transit corridors and particularly the numerous checkpoints, alleged harassments, extortion etc., on the corridor and to assist in sensitizing the Police officers who operate along these corridors.
Ms Dauda-Owu, informed the meeting that Ghana is a signatory to the Trade Facilitation Agreement and ECOWAS Protocols which promotes trade among Member State. She also mentioned that the Ghana Shippers’ Authority had made some significant achievement in transit trade facilitation through the signing of MOUs with Ghana’s landlocked neighbours such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso with numerous benefits including employment generation, revenue for the Government etc. The Authority has also collaborated with the Borderless Alliance to establish an E-platform and a mobile line to receive complaints from transit operators.
The IGP, Mr. Asante-Apeatu thanked the delegation for the visit and proposed that to effectively help address the high number of police checkpoints, especially from the Techiman-Paga stretch of the corridor where attacks and harassments are prevalent,a system could be put in place where Police officers would validate the documents of transit trucks before they are loaded at the Ports. This, he assured will allow easy movement along the corridor because other officers will be obliged to comply with the validation done. Present at the meeting were Mr. Bright Gowonu Borderless Alliance, Mr. Joe Agbaga, Ghana Institute of Freight forwarders, COP Christian Yohonu Director General of Police Operations.
Can the IGP specify date of implementation for the idea to aid the transit shippers. My suggestion though. The drivers of the transit shipping industry are really complaining about the negativity involved at some checkpoints.
By the directives of the Vice President we are hopeful that the by 1st September, the barriers on our transit corridors will be reduced.