The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has officially distanced itself from a statement issued by a group calling itself the “Coalition of Exporters, Importers and Traders” regarding the proposed Smart Port Note (SPN).
IEAG, in a statement on Sunday, January 18, said it “is not part of this coalition and did not associate itself with the said statement or its conclusions,” particularly in relation to the cost projections and claims attributed to the SPN.
The association further stated that while some members of the trading community have raised concerns about the SPN, “significant progress has been made through structured stakeholder engagement and dialogue aimed at addressing these concerns.”
IEAG said it participated in two high-level stakeholder engagements convened last year by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), in collaboration with the Inter-Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute (IOMLI) and Antaser Afrique BV.
These meetings brought together key actors across the maritime and trading ecosystem, including representatives from the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Traders Advocacy Group (TAG), Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Association of Customs House Agents of Ghana (ACHAG) and the Customs Brokers Association of Ghana (CUBAG), among others.
The meetings were chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Professor Ransford Gyampo, with senior management from IOMLI and Antaser Afrique BV.
During the engagements, stakeholders were assured that the Smart Port Note would be implemented “at no cost to importers,” and that “the system would not impose any additional financial burden on the trading community.”
IEAG’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Samson Asaki Awingobit, also raised concerns about potential costs, duplication of existing systems and operational clarity, which the association says are similar to those currently being raised publicly. However, IEAG said the assurances were reaffirmed that the SPN “would not impose any direct financial burden on importers but that of exporting countries.”
Mr. Awingobit, according to the statement, “further advocated for continuous, inclusive stakeholder engagement until a collective and mutually acceptable position is reached on the SPN framework.”
The association described the coalition’s statement as “deeply concerning,” saying it was issued “without due process, broad-based consultation or alignment with outcomes of the stakeholder engagements already held.”
In the statement, IEAG also reiterated its “strong and unequivocal support for the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS),” which it said “remains the backbone of Ghana’s port clearance and trade facilitation architecture.”
The association added that ICUMS, operated by GH Link, “has over the years significantly enhanced revenue mobilisation, cargo tracking, risk management and automation at the ports.”
IEAG said it remains committed to safeguarding the interests of Ghanaian traders and consumers and supports initiatives that enhance port efficiency and trade facilitation, “provided such systems are implemented transparently, prudently and without imposing additional costs on the trading community.”
It fjrthrturged stakeholders to rely on verified information, exercise restraint in public commentary and allow the engagement process “to fully mature in the interest of Ghana’s trade competitiveness and economic development.”
