Parliament has passed the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) Bill, 2024, into law, empowering the state agency to address long-standing issues of unfair charges, lack of transparency, and ineffective regulation that have plagued the blue economy.
The amended law repeals and replaces the 50-year-old law that established the organization, the 1974 Act (NRCD 254). It addresses gaps identified in the old law and existing Legislative Instrument (L.I.) and ensures global best practices.
The new law aims to address the issue of unfair and excessive charges burdening traders who use Ghana’s sea and airports, as well as land borders, to conduct their international trade.
The passage of the Bill, presented by the Ministry of Transport, follows concerns over the country’s international transit trade, lack of legal framework, and need to protect shippers from unfair treatment by multinational shipping service providers.
Moving for the approval of the bill, the Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, expressed satisfaction and indicated that the bill, when passed, will enhance the potency of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority in the discharge of its statutory mandate.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, summed up to announce the passage, hitting his gavel to signify the end of the process.
It is anticipated that the passage of the bill will ensure effective regulation of the shipping and logistics sectors, guaranteeing fair pricing and charges for all stakeholders. It would also empower the GSA to control fees at the ports and borders and promote the participation of local firms in the sector.
Addressing the media on the new development, the Head of Operations at the GSA, Ms. Sylvia Asana Dauda-Owu, welcomed the passage of the bill into law, saying the new law would introduce transparency in port fees and charge determination and ensure accountability in international cargo movement.
The Ghana Shippers’ Authority was established in 1974 by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 1974 (NRCD 254) to organise shippers and equip them with bargaining power.
However, the Act had not undergone significant reviews in 50 years, making it unresponsive to the transformation that has occurred in the industry. The Authority has been spearheading transit trade development since 1987, but the legal framework to regulate transit trade and ensure maximum benefits for Ghana is nonexistent.
