The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has emphasized the significance of the recent escalation in port charges.
This comes in response to the Ghana Union of Traders Association’s (GUTA) opposition to the recent hike in port charges.
The GPHA clarified that the decision to raise port tariffs stems from a meticulous assessment and consideration of diverse factors influencing port operations.
The authority also pointed out that the adjustments in this year’s tariff increase were guided by the findings of a comparative study on port tariffs conducted in neighboring ports such as Lome and Abidjan. This measure aims to ensure that Ghana’s ports maintain competitiveness in terms of both pricing and service quality.
The statement added that the GPHA, akin to any other business, is subject to the impacts of rising costs in areas such as water, electricity, fuel, machinery, and equipment.
“GPHA was compelled to implement the revised tariff due to the current global economic challenges including inflation and currency depreciation which have increased our operational cost”, the statement said.
The authority added that it engaged in multiple discussions with key stakeholders such as the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG), Freight Forwarding Associations, Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), and the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana before implementing the new tariffs.
Highlighting its substantial investments in upgrading port infrastructure and maintaining an efficient port system, the GPHA emphasized that these measures would lead to reduced operational costs for businesses, improved productivity, and smoother trade operations.
Furthermore, the authority emphasized that the growing concerns raised by stakeholders cannot compel them to operate at a financial loss.
“Our investigation revealed that the decline in cargo volumes cannot be attributed to GPHA’s service charges. GPHA’s charges as a component of the total cost of cargo clearance in the port is about 6%. We are currently conducting a study on the individual contributors and their share to total cost of cargo clearance in our ports, so that together, we can engage and find possible solutions”, the pointed out.