The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has warned that worsening congestion at Ghana’s ports could drive importers to neighbouring countries and threaten the country’s trade competitiveness.

The association says some importers are already considering routing their cargo through the Port of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire because of delays and uncertainty in clearing goods through Ghanaian ports.

IEAG Executive Secretary Samson Asaki Awingboit said the situation requires urgent government intervention before it develops into a full-blown crisis.

He said the congestion is not caused by a single institution but by several challenges across the port clearance system, including customs valuation and examination processes, inspection protocols, regulatory charges, terminal operations, truck turnaround times and poor coordination among agencies.

One of the concerns raised by the association is the high number of containers being routed for physical and intrusive examination.

IEAG’s preliminary information puts the proportion of scanned containers sent to the red channel at about 74 per cent. The association said the figure, if independently verified, should trigger an immediate review of Customs’ risk-profiling system.

IEAG said it is not opposed to legitimate examination of high-risk cargo but warned that excessive physical inspections could turn the risk-management system into a source of congestion.

It said every additional examination requires equipment, manpower, movement, stripping, inspection and reloading, putting further pressure on examination bays, terminals and truck operators.

The association also pointed to what it described as a breakdown in the joint inspection system involving agencies such as Customs, the Food and Drugs Authority, NACOC and National Security.

According to IEAG, some agencies reportedly fail to participate in the initial coordinated inspection and only arrive after Customs has completed its examination. The same container may then have to be dropped again for another inspection, resulting in additional truck movements, handling and delays.

IEAG further raised allegations that some operators are being asked to make unofficial payments to avoid additional inspections, with amounts reportedly reaching GH¢1,000.

The association stressed that the claims are allegations that must be independently investigated.

It also complained about what members consider significant increases in regulatory, inspection, certification and processing fees imposed by agencies operating at the ports.

IEAG said the cumulative effect of these charges, combined with time spent resolving disputed assessments and securing regulatory approvals, is increasing cargo dwell time, demurrage, storage, detention and logistics costs.

Truck turnaround times are another concern.

The association said it has received persistent reports from transport operators that some drivers are reluctant to serve certain terminals, including MSC-operated facilities, because of reportedly long turnaround times.

It said delays in loading and exiting terminals reduce the effective capacity of the national haulage fleet and contribute to the accumulation of uncleared containers.

IEAG warned that the situation could become worse as Ghana approaches the December peak trading period.

It said prolonged delays could increase cargo dwell time, storage and demurrage liabilities, truck queues and operational costs, while pushing more importers towards competing ports in the sub-region.

The association said it is already receiving indications that some importers are exploring the Port of Abidjan as an alternative gateway.

“Once an importer establishes a reliable alternative supply chain through another regional gateway, winning that business back becomes extremely difficult,” IEAG warned.

IEAG is therefore calling for the Chief of Staff to urgently convene and lead a high-level government delegation involving the Ministers for Finance, Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, and Transport, together with relevant port and regulatory agencies.

The association wants the delegation to engage all stakeholders and establish an immediate action plan to decongest the ports.

It has also proposed measurable performance targets for port agencies, including maximum turnaround times for examinations, valuation disputes, regulatory inspections, truck processing and cargo release.

IEAG said every agency should be held accountable for the time its processes add to the cargo clearance chain.