President John Dramani Mahama has ordered an immediate probe into fees imposed by foreign shipping lines operating in Ghana, describing any unratified charges as illegal and exploitative.
Addressing freight forwarders during a stakeholder engagement on Friday, July 11, the President directed Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe and Attorney General Dominic Ayine to jointly review all levies imposed by these companies and ensure that Parliament formally approves any legitimate charges.
“We have charged the Minister of Transport to go into it and sit with the shipping lines and look into those administrative charges,” he stated.
President Mahama’s directive follows repeated complaints from industry players, particularly freight forwarders, who say the unregulated charges—often described as administrative fees—are being imposed arbitrarily by shipping lines, escalating the cost of doing business and undermining port efficiency.
“The law says fees and levies shall be ratified by Parliament, and so nobody can come and charge any fees within the jurisdiction of Ghana. We consulted the Attorney General, and you cannot charge any fee or levy within the territories of Ghana without parliamentary approval,” President Mahama added.
Industry experts and traders have long called for government intervention, citing the unapproved fees as a major barrier to trade facilitation and revenue generation. Mahama’s intervention signals a renewed push to clamp down on irregularities at Ghana’s ports, promote transparency in port operations, and protect the business community from what many have described as institutionalised extortion.
With the President’s directive now in motion, all eyes are on the Transport Ministry and the Attorney General’s Department to take swift action in auditing these charges, compelling compliance, and bringing order to the maritime trade sector.
