The Acting Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Brigadier-General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, has reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to reducing the cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports, a move aimed at enhancing competitiveness and attracting more trade.
Speaking during a visit by the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Brigadier-General Tanye-Kulono emphasized recent government interventions, including the abolition of select levies that had long burdened importers and exporters.
He further revealed that the GPHA is reviewing port tariffs as part of a broader initiative to enhance efficiency and reduce operational costs.
He acknowledged concerns from transit traders in Burkina Faso and other Sahelian countries who have cited excessive taxes as a deterrent to using Ghana’s ports.
Many traders, he noted, find ports in Abidjan and Lomé more cost-effective due to lower tariffs and the absence of specific charges such as the COVID-19 and disinfection taxes.
“Our colleagues engaged in transit trade have expressed dissatisfaction with some of these levies, arguing that they make Ghana’s ports less competitive,” Brigadier-General Tanye-Kulono stated. “When combined with the language barrier—where Ghana operates in English while our neighbors use French—these higher tariffs discourage foreign traders from choosing our ports. However, discussions are at an advanced stage to review these taxes, and I am confident that necessary adjustments will be made soon.”
Samson Asaki Awingobit, Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, urged GPHA to address additional challenges such as high demurrage charges and truck overloading within the port enclave.
“To attract more business from our landlocked neighbors, we must enforce standard loading limits to prevent excessive road deterioration caused by overloaded trucks. These issues must be tackled to create a sustainable and business-friendly environment,” Awingobit stressed.
He emphasized that streamlining port operations and reducing costs would not only benefit local businesses but also would solidify Ghana’s position as a leading trade hub in the region.
