The Institute of Freight Forwarders has called for the complete scrapping of Container Administrative Charges at Ghana’s ports, arguing that the original justification for the fee no longer exists.

The position comes amid ongoing reforms by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), which has introduced a regulatory cap on shipping line charges as part of efforts to reduce the cost of doing business at the country’s ports. The policy has, however, faced resistance from some industry players, with legal action also seeking to halt its implementation.

The GSA’s reform, developed under the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122), followed stakeholder consultations and comparative studies across the West African sub-region. It introduced a GH¢550 per Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) cap on Container Administrative Charges, later deferred by the Ministry of Transport to July 1, 2026, with an interim cap of GH¢720 per TEU.

While the Authority maintains that the measure is necessary to curb high and sometimes arbitrary port charges, freight forwarders argue that the fee itself has become obsolete.

Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Wednesday, May 20, Head of Public Relations at the Institute of Freight Forwarders, Jacob Agyemang, said the charge has outlived its purpose and should no longer be applied.

“This charge has been there for quite a number of years and the basis for it being charged as at that time was because of lack of certain facilities when these container facilities call at the port. As we speak today they don’t have any basis for collection of those monies… so we believe that it should even be totally scrapped. That is our position and when we met that was our strong position. We believe that it should be scrapped completely.”

His comments add to the growing industry debate over the GSA’s reform agenda, with stakeholders split between support for cost-reduction measures and concerns over the continued relevance of the charges.

Despite opposition, the GSA insists the reforms are aimed at improving efficiency and reducing the financial burden on importers and exporters, and says it remains committed to defending the policy while engaging stakeholders.