Ghana Shippers’ Authority visits NSC for collaboration on port costs study, regulatory framework

A delegation from the Ghana Shippers’ Authority ( GSA) on Tuesday visited the Nigerian Shippers’ Council ( NSC) to seek collaboration on a study examining port- related costs and charges in the West Africa sub region.

Leader of the delegation, Helena Claudia Amanfu, said the visit to the NSC was part of a regional study that began in 2018, covering Cote’divoire, Togo, Senegal, and now Nigeria to understudy how these charges impact on the clearance process.

The team, which was accompanied by a member of the Ghanaian Parliament, Hon. Emmanuel Akwasi Gyanfi also sought to learn from Nigeria’s experience as the NSC reviews its Act to become a port economic regulator.

Speaking, Amanfu said, ” The purpose of the visit to the NSC was to discuss port structure, cost and fees in the sub region of West Africa.

“In 2018, we under take a similar study in Cote’dovoire and then Togo and based on that, we sought to extend it to Senegal and then Nigeria.

“To update the structure that we have, in 2024, we decide to under take the study once again. So we are here to do that- cost analysis in the port.”

She added, “As the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is reviewing its Act to be a regulator, so we intend to do. We have started the process back home and we came to look at the challenges and the best practices that we can also incoporate in our process at home.”

Executive Secretary of the NSC, Barr. Pius Akutah, while addressing the delegation said the visit to the NSC is crucial, especially with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which aims to create a borderless market.

Akutah commended the Ghanaian delegation for the initiative, emphasizing the importance of harmonizing port operations to promote trade within the sub-region and beyond adding that the study’s outcome will benefit both countries and the region as a whole.

He pledged the NSC support to provide necessary statistics for the project’s success.

“I understand that this study is very crucial, particularly now that we have in the African continent trade area agreement. We have come together under that agreement to form a borderless market so we need to harmonize what is happening
within our ports to make them competitive across all and see how we can promote trade even amongst ourselves before we can go to the western world.

“This visit to me is very important in terms of our partnership as brothers within the same sub-region.

“I understand that you have been to Lekki seaport to see things for yourself and take some of the statistics that will help you in this study.

“We will continue to support you for the remaining time you are here. Whatever you want, we will provide the statistics that are available to us because whatever comes out as a result of this project will also be beneficial to us because of the partnership we have formed under this agreement,” Akutah said.

Speaking on the NSC Act review, Akutah restated the need for a regulatory framework to ensure fairness, promote trade, and protect the interests of shippers and other stakeholders.

“Of course, there is no perfect law but you know you have to start from somewhere and that’s what we’re trying to do. There are some concerns that have been raised which we are looking at to see how we can harmonize that and come up with a law.

“This regulatory regime will foster access to the port services and it will promote efficiency. So we are pushing for it to see how that can create a force to move on to take advantage of what is in the African continent.

“We cannot have that and open our markets to the rest of the world without reflecting on what is happening in the ports. It will be very unattractive and it will not help us to achieve the overall targets that we are pushing for, ” he said.

Akutah commended the inclusion of a Ghanaian parliament member in the delegation, acknowledging their role in overseeing the GSA and potentially amending its Act to grant regulatory powers.

Member of the Ghanaian Parliament, Hon. Emmanuel Akwasi Gyanfi, expressed delight at the opportunity to learn from the Nigerian experience on the amendment of the NSC Act to become a port economic regulator.

Photo caption:

The Executive Secretary of Nigerian (NSC), Barr. Pius Akutah and the leader of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) delegation, Helena Claudia Amanfu during a visit to the NSC headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday.