All shipping companies must stop demanding Terminal Handling Charges (THCs), President John Mahama has ordered.
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the first anniversary of the National Single Window Project, Mr Mahama said the THCs have no law backing them, thus, it was unfair to impose such charges on clients.
Almost a month ago, Minister of Transport Fifi Kwetey told importers and exporters who transact business at the ports of Ghana not to pay THCs introduced by some shipping lines. Mr Kwetey directed to stop charging THCs after a consultative meeting was held between the ministry and the various parties.
This was contained in a press release signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Mr Seth Twum-Akwaboah, for and on behalf of all members of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Ghana Union of Traders Association, Private Enterprise Federation, Ghana Chamber of Mines, Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters, Ghana Root Crops and Tubers Exporters Union, Greater Accra Regional Shipper Committee and the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders.
“We the coalition of associations remains resolute in collective solidarity and will strongly resist any attempt by any shipping line to impose such THC. The cupidity as demonstrated by the shipping lines to exploit shippers (importers and exporters) is unfortunate and we expect all parties to respect the Honourable Minister’s directive,” the release stressed.
The AGI boss described the terminal handling charges as illegal because they have been abolished in Ghana by the Ministry of Transport.
According to him, any imposition of the charges by any shipping line in the face of government’s directive constitutes an infringement on the sovereign rights of the business community in Ghana, thus “any attempt by any shipping line to impose the THC or hold shippers’ cargo unduly must quickly be brought to the notice of the respective association with some evidence”.
The release further called on government to apply deterring sanctions against any shipping line that flouts the directive.
Mr Twum-Akwaboah commended the Transport Minister and his team for intervening to stop the arbitrariness by ensuring sanity in the maritime industry.
In an interview, the chairperson of the Greater Accra Regional Shipper Committee (GARSC), Ms Adobea Asiamah Aboagye, expressed her delight about the abolition of the terminal handling charges.
She said the cost of doing business at the port was already high and thus charging the unjustifiable THC by the shipping lines was going to have more negative effects on the cost of running businesses that are directly or indirectly affected by the operations of the port.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
