The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has urged Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to convene an emergency meeting with key maritime stakeholders to address persistent delays and rising charges at the Tema Port.
The association said operational bottlenecks affecting shipping invoices, payment processing and container releases were imposing additional costs on businesses and disrupting the movement of goods.
In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Samson Asaki Awingobit, the IEAG said importers who had completed their documentation and made the required payments were still experiencing delays in taking delivery of their containers.
It warned that the delays were resulting in mounting demurrage, rent and storage charges, increasing the financial burden on businesses despite their compliance with the necessary procedures.
The association also reported that more than 120 trucks scheduled to transfer containers were recently stranded following operational disruptions at the Meridian Port Services (MPS) Terminal 3.
It said the incident highlighted the need for coordinated action to address operational challenges and prevent further disruptions to cargo movement.
The IEAG is calling on Dr Ato Forson to bring together shipping lines, terminal operators, port authorities, clearing agents and other relevant stakeholders to identify the causes of the delays and agree on immediate corrective measures.
It wants the meeting to establish clear lines of responsibility, improve operational coordination and ensure that agreed measures produce measurable results.
The association further called for greater transparency in the application of demurrage, rent and storage charges, particularly in cases where delays arise from operational or administrative failures beyond the control of importers.
It maintained that businesses should not be subjected to unjustified costs arising from delays they did not cause.
The IEAG said urgent intervention was necessary to restore efficiency at the port, reduce avoidable costs and safeguard the reliability of Ghana’s supply chains.
It urged the relevant authorities and service providers to work together to resolve the challenges and prevent a recurrence of the reported disruptions.
