President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Minister for Transport and the Attorney General to review all administrative fees levied by international shipping lines operating in the country, citing concerns over the legality and economic impact of unapproved charges.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement on Friday, President Mahama said any fees imposed without parliamentary approval violate Ghanaian law. The move follows complaints from freight forwarders who allege that some shipping lines have been imposing unauthorized charges, increasing the cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports and impacting national revenue collection.
“We have charged the Minister of Transport to engage with the shipping lines and review these administrative charges,” Mr. Mahama said. “The law requires that all fees and levies be ratified by Parliament. No entity has the authority to impose charges within Ghana’s jurisdiction without such approval.”
The directive assigns Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe and Attorney General Dominic Ayine to lead the review and ensure compliance with the legal framework governing port operations.
Port stakeholders have long raised concerns about what they describe as opaque fee structures and arbitrary costs levied by foreign shipping firms. The government’s intervention signals a broader regulatory tightening aimed at improving transparency and reducing trade-related overheads at Ghana’s ports, which serve as key logistics hubs in West Africa.
The administration has not announced a timeline for the review, but the outcome could have implications for shipping operations and import-export costs in the country’s growing maritime trade sector.
