The Convenor of the Advocate for Indigenous Freight Forwarders (AIFF), Godfred Mawuli Tettey (Dr) has commended the Customs Commissioner, Aaron Kanor, for his approach of engaging stakeholders in addressing challenges within Ghana’s freight-forwarding and port sector.
The AIFF Convenor said the Commissioner’s emphasis on dialogue and consultation was particularly relevant at a time when the sector was facing significant operational and policy challenges requiring closer collaboration between Customs and industry players.
He cited the recent engagement between the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Council of Freight Forwarder Associations (COFFA) as an example of the approach.
The engagement, held at the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), brought together Customs management and representatives of freight-forwarding associations to discuss operational concerns and issues affecting trade facilitation.
According to Dr Tettey, such engagements provide an avenue for Customs to better understand the challenges confronting freight forwarders while allowing industry players to appreciate the regulatory and revenue objectives of the Customs Division.
He said the freight-forwarding sector was currently at a critical moment, with ongoing changes in Customs administration, digitalisation, revenue mobilisation and port operations making stakeholder consultation necessary.
“The sector is at a critical moment, and this is the time for stakeholders to engage and consult. We need both sides to understand each other and work towards solutions that can produce a win-win outcome,” he said.
According to him, Customs had a responsibility to protect state revenue and ensure compliance with Ghana’s trade laws, while freight forwarders needed a predictable and efficient operating environment to conduct their businesses.
He argued that achieving a balance between the two objectives would benefit not only Customs and freight-forwarding businesses but also importers, exporters and the wider economy.
He therefore urged the Customs Division to sustain the stakeholder engagement approach and ensure that concerns raised by industry players are given appropriate consideration.
Dr Tettey also encouraged freight forwarders to participate actively in such engagements by presenting practical concerns and proposals for addressing operational difficulties.
He said regular consultation could help prevent misunderstandings between Customs and industry and contribute to more efficient cargo clearance and trade facilitation.
The AIFF Convenor maintained that the desired outcome should be a system in which Customs meets its revenue and enforcement obligations while businesses are able to operate efficiently and competitively.
He said such a balance would ultimately contribute to improved business performance, greater efficiency in the ports and national economic growth.
Dr Tettey said the AIFF would continue to support constructive engagement between Customs and freight-forwarding stakeholders as efforts continue to address challenges within Ghana’s maritime and logistics sector.