The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama with eight requests concerning board representation and regulatory oversight in Ghana’s maritime sector.

In a petition dated September 15, 2026, and copied to Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe, the Association called for the following:

1. Remove SOAAG representation from key boards

IEAG wants government to remove the representation of the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG) from the boards of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

2. Review Adam Imoru Ayarna’s appointment

The Association called for a review of the appointment of Adam Imoru Ayarna as the representative of Ghanaian registered shipowners on the affected boards, citing concerns over regulatory compliance, stakeholder relations and institutional accountability.

3. Broaden private-sector representation

IEAG wants the representation replaced with broader private-sector representation, including credible Ghanaian importer, exporter and trading associations whose members are directly affected by maritime policies, charges and port operations.

4. Review shipping-related charges

The Association called for a comprehensive review of the Container Administrative Charge and other shipping-related charges, with attention to legality, transparency, value for money, proportionality and the services provided in return.

5. Enforce lawful directives

IEAG wants government to ensure that lawful directives issued by competent state institutions are respected and complied with, while preserving the right of affected parties to seek judicial or administrative redress.

6. Review shipping-line operations under the 24-hour economy

The Association called for a review of the operations and service schedules of shipping lines to ensure private operators do not undermine extended port operations or expose importers and exporters to avoidable demurrage and detention charges.

7. Strengthen stakeholder engagement

IEAG proposed a broader stakeholder engagement framework involving government, regulators, shipping lines, terminal operators, importers, exporters, freight forwarders and other relevant industry stakeholders.

8. Review private-sector board representation

The Association wants government to review the broader framework for private-sector board representation to ensure that no single industry interest is disproportionately represented on strategic maritime state boards.

IEAG said the requests were motivated by what it described as a persistent pattern of disregard for state directives and regulatory decisions by some shipping interests.

The Association said the matter was ultimately about “good governance, institutional authority, accountability and fairness.”

“IEAG does not seek the exclusion of legitimate private-sector interests from Ghana's maritime governance structures. We seek a system in which all stakeholders are represented fairly and in which every representative understands that service on a state board carries responsibilities to the Republic of Ghana beyond the interests of the organization or sector they represent,” the petition said.

The petition was signed by Samson Asaki Awingobit, Executive Secretary of IEAG, on behalf of the Association’s leadership.